Logic Dictates
by frozenwhispers
Summary: College junior Zexion wants nothing more than for Axel to notice him, to see him as more than a one-night stand. Between the reappearance of Axel's ex-boyfriend Roxas and the redhead's murky connections to the mob, however, Zexion may soon discover the attention he was seeking is just the start of his dating problems.
1. The Mind Rebels

**A/N**: Here we go. This is approximately 82,000 words of pure ZekuAkuRoku goodness. Not sure if it matters, but for the curious, I (Nic) wrote Axel, Demyx, Tifa, Xion, and any other snippets of the Damato clan and their colleagues.

This story was a lot less further along than Truth or Dare when it ended, in my opinion, but I also feel like the narrative itself was stronger, possibly because the settings were more varied and more characters got introduced. It's all a matter of personal preference and opinion though, and I'd be interested to hear any and all. That's your cue, dear readers, to shoot me a review.

Hope you enjoy.

* * *

Zexion didn't exactly consider himself lucky, though he wasn't down on his lot in life either. Really, he was more or less content to do exactly what he had been doing, which was striving for something grander: A degree, a reason to get the fuck out of this shit-hole town, and move on with his life somewhere there were more people like him. He was sick and tired of the dull-minded, closed-off feeling of this place, and, though he hadn't chosen to go away for college as a result of his mother's wishes, the goal to get as far away from this place as possible was still set firmly in his mind.

Of course, he hadn't thought much about that since he'd met Axel.

That night had been more or less a blur. When had the suave, over-dressed red-head crashed the party? Surely, he hadn't been there when Zexion had first arrived, sober and looking for something to fix that problem. He would have noticed those green eyes, and the calm way that the other man sat among them as though he belonged, yet observed everyone around him like he was judging their lesser worth. Zexion had simply noticed because his own blue eyes delved into the scenes that surrounded his everyday life very often in a similar manner…

Yet, there this man sat, calmly downing some venomous liquid that must have messed him up as badly as Zexion's drinks had unbalanced him.

The night had been a blur. How had they started talking, what was the reason they'd begun necking in the first place? When had they rushed out to find somewhere more private? He couldn't remember, and by the gods did he ever want to!

_"__Did they hurt?" he remembered asking, sliding one gentle finger over an upside-down teardrop tattoo on one side of Axel's face._

_"__What the fuck do you think," had been Axel's response before he'd grabbed hold of the hand, pinning it down above Zexion's head._

He remembered being silenced roughly by Axel's lips, and being made to forget all inquiries by the green eyed man's narrow, jutting hips grinding into his own. It hadn't been gentle, but then he hadn't wanted it to be. What he _had_ wanted was for Axel to stay when the moaning, the writhing, and the ruckus had ended, but he'd fallen asleep and found no sign of Axel upon waking the next morning with the kind of hang-over that made suicide seem like a worthy option.

Pining after someone who'd disappeared was illogical, but his subconscious didn't seem to know that because the dreams wouldn't go away. He'd thought about Axel at least once per day since that night, waking up every morning with the memory of those sharp, green eyes locked onto his.

He'd gone on with his life, attending classes and showing up for work as though nothing had happened, but everything had changed within him. He wondered what happened to Axel; would he ever see the other man, again? And after all that had happened, why, by all that was coherent and rational, did he so desperately want to?

The next time he saw the man with impossibly red hair and tear-drop facial tattoos, Axel was the customer and he was the help…

o - o

He'd needed an escape, some time to breathe and think, away from his family's home and their schemings and dealings.

Time to breathe and think, exactly. Except it seemed he'd forgotten the bit about thinking, because the moment he began to imagine working with Tonio — about working _under_ Tonio — his blood began to boil.

Axel Damato did not like taking orders, least of all from some simple-minded crony in his parents' employ.

He'd left the estate they were staying at in a fiery huff, no more considering where he was heading than an animal of prey fleeing pursuit. It was simple luck that he'd encountered a chatty couple along his way. One mention of a college party and all he'd had to do was follow a safe distance behind. Quite suddenly he had plans for the evening, even if they had been obtained through inadvertent and uninvited means.

He paid the bouncer off. Maybe it wasn't the most suave move on his part, but Axel hadn't wanted the party to end as a result of any of his flashier antics. For once.

He'd grabbed a seat, ignoring an advance and a few interested looks from females nearby. Women had never been any fun for Axel. They submitted far too easily, in his experience.

For a time, he simply remained seated, quietly contemplative about this newest scheme. By all accounts, Tonio was an imbecile. He didn't want to work with someone who'd almost certainly fuck up the planned transaction. The only reason his father liked that shithead so much was because he kissed ass like no other. Axel saw right through it. If his father didn't, it was obvious he was becoming senile.

But thinking was getting boring, and as more people began to show up Axel found himself ordering drink after intoxicating drink. He liked feeling the pulse of the music, enjoyed watching other people swarm past him, parting around him like river water flowing past large rocks. Some were in groups, while others still sought out someone to go home with at the end of the night. It was a college party of some sort, he'd gathered already, and that's where he'd stopped in his analysis.

College was for sheep, those who couldn't think for themselves. _Or those who'd never get accepted due to a not quite expunged juvenile record_, he thought with only a hint of irony. This was a college town, but a small one, where wealthy East Coast children of politicians, of lawyers and doctors and socialites mingled almost arrogantly with the scholarship kids who made up for their humble origins with marginally more brilliant intellect.

In short, two sides of the same, uninteresting coin.

"Do you…are you…er, a new student?"

A voice range out behind his right shoulder. Slowly, Axel turned in a manner that implied he had no concern whatsoever in the world.

He raised an eyebrow, as if to rhetorically say 'what do you think?' but didn't turn away.

The young man beside him seemed to flush but there was an eager, determined look in his eyes. It was almost endearing, how interested in him the other male outwardly appeared. And it gave Axel an idea.

"Sit," he said, inclining his head to the empty seat beside him. The boy complied almost immediately, although it was obvious at this point he was already beginning to feel the effects of whatever he'd had to drink before approaching and making what appeared to be his move.

And then, silence as Axel sized him up. Longish, blue-ish dyed hair, shorter than him (but then, who wasn't?), with a good figure and attractive features, the boy seemed to be getting more nervous as the minutes ticked by.

"Zexion," the boy offered at long last. When his companion remained silent, he continued, a bit more quietly with his introduction. "…is my name."

Still no response from Axel. He knew what drawing things out did to people, no matter what the circumstances. As a waiter passed by, Axel lifted his shot glass, and indicated he wanted another two with his free hand.

"What is…I mean, so you're not a student at St. Merritt, then?"

As the waiter plonked down two new sets of shots, Axel allowed a slow, sensual smile to rise onto his lips. He leaned forward toward Zexion until his mouth was only inches away from the other male's ear. "The name's Axel," he breathed, allowing his voice to become low and husky as he spoke, hot breath tickling his companion's exposed neck. "Try not to forget it."

A moment later, he pulled away and in one smooth motion reached for Zexion's closest arm and a nearby salt shaker. "And no," he continued, sprinkling a light layer of salt on the other boy's wrist. "I'm not a student."

With a sly smile, he'd raised Zexion's hand to his mouth and slowly pressed his lips over the other boy's wrist, making sure to rake his teeth lightly against the skin as he retrieved the salt with his mouth.

Grabbing one of the shot glasses from the table, he eyed the other male with a suggestive curve of his lips. "I'd put money on being able to teach you a thing or two anyway though."

He downed the shot in one smooth motion, enjoying the shell-shocked look on his new acquaintance's face out of the corner of his eye.

The rest of the night had gone by in a blur of rough kisses, tongues, and petting. It had been Zexion who had offered his dorm room for the evening, and who was Axel to turn down an offer of another distraction, personally?

The sex was good, and he'd savor pieces of it later in private when he needed other escapes from having to deal with Tonio (who, incidentally, _had_ managed to fuck up the transaction just enough to finally piss his father off).

It had been enjoyable, yes, but Axel hadn't stayed, hadn't even bothered to leave his number before departing early the next morning, head buzzing from a hangover of impressive proportions. Apart from fleeting moments, he hadn't even thought of the strangely-named college boy again either.

…until now that he felt an urge to stop in for a drink at a bar he rarely ever visited.

Well, well. Look who was one of the scholarship kids.

After a migraine-inducing three weeks of working with Tonio, Axel didn't particularly feel like dealing with what might potentially pose another headache at the moment.

His desire for a drink won out over his inclination to turn heel and leave however. That, and he wouldn't have it said that Axel Damato was a coward, by anyone, anywhere.

He approached the bar with a hint of a swagger, well aware that his every move was being subtly watched by the other male.

"I'm looking to try something new," he drawled, speaking as though he hadn't just recently pinned the other boy's arms above his head and ground his hips simply to hear the other's exuberant moans, to enjoy the feeling of the friction between their two bodies. As far as he was concerned, it was the other's option to bring it up. Or not. It hardly mattered to him.

When the young man didn't initially respond, Axel continued, unconcerned.

"Any suggestions, then, sir?"

o - o

"I imagine it depends on what you've tried," he answered, more sharply than he might have originally intended.

Seeing that face again, apart from causing an insufferably illogical fluttering in his middle, made him a little angry. Neither feeling was entirely rational by a standpoint of reason, but when it came to those things that were illogical to begin with, his reaction made perfect sense.

"Something new for more sophisticated tastes, I'm guessing," he softened, turning to grab the higher end alcohol. "I can mix something new for you, if you give me a flavor of preference…"

o - o

He'd heard the irritation in Zexion's tone, but chose to ignore it. The blue-haired bartender wasn't the first one-nighter Axel had gone through, and likely wouldn't be the last. Emotions were weaknesses, and showing your full hand of cards this early in the game was not high on his list of things to do tonight. Or any night, for that matter.

Besides, it'd just been a little fun for both of them that evening, hadn't it? He recalled the younger male's moans quite clearly still, remembering how open it had seemed he'd been throughout the entire experience. Axel liked that. It had been exciting. But why show anything remotely as revealing in a public setting?

He hadn't said anything in response, instead simply allowed himself to lean against the bar counter, taking the pale-skinned bartender in with an uninterpretable expression.

"Flavor preference," he repeated, as though considering his options. He licked his lips once, eyes distant as though in contemplation.

A moment later, his eyes were fixed back on the bartender's. "Something with a bit of a bite will do me nicely tonight," he said, the hint of a smirk appearing at the corners of his mouth. "Got anything like that for me, by chance?"

o - o

"A bite…" he said, thoughtfully. He'd taken a page from Axel's book, and put up a neutral front firmly as his gaze had returned to the red head's direction. It hurt to see this man more than he thought it would. A drunken one-night stand turned infatuation; he was the king of unreasonable thoughts lately.

So instead of thinking much further on it, he tryed to ignore the way that Axel's tongue slipped out from between his lips, wetting them before sliding back into his hot mouth. Well, it had been hot when they'd hooked up; he honestly had no idea if it was now.

His hands moved of their own accord, mixing with the skills he'd picked up from some of the best mixers he worked with. Zexion knew which alcohols mixed well and which did not, so he put together a drink he hoped Axel hadn't tried yet. Not that he could have if the red head was used to having people make drinks for him, since most bartenders did not mix their own drinks.

It was a very strong mix using some of the best alcohols they had in store… and he had butterflies in his middle as he pressed the glass towards the man he desperately wanted to spend some more time with, matching Axel's smirk slightly even though he didn't feel arrogant today, at all.

"I hope it's to your liking," he added, blue eyes stealing a glance at striking green as he waited for a reaction to his creation.

o - o

_Hands. Keep your eyes on his hands. Thoughts off Roxas. _

Involuntarily, Axel took a pained breath in. It was audible.

And he'd been doing so well before now…

The moment the bartender placed the beverage down before him, Axel swiped it up, downing it in two clean gulps.

"Decent," he replied, trying to retrieve the bravado he'd shown upon first entrance. It was difficult, because he wasn't in the mood. Impressive how quickly one's emotions could change in the blink of an eye. What he was in the mood for was something to take his mind off the person he had never fallen for in the first place.

He should've known better than to let someone like Roxas get under his skin, should've realized from the outset that someone who was as much of a cock-tease as the blond had been was better to avoid.

"Another," he said, his voice taking on an imperial quality as he placed a wad of bills on the counter. "You should have one too," he directed his next comment at Zexion. "Drinking's no fun to do on your own."

o - o

Axel's request made him glance around the bar. The place was dead, and it was just him and Demyx; surely he could do a little drinking. It wasn't strictly allowed, but he'd seen the other male behind the counter drinking with the girls and guys he served to get himself bigger tips. Tonight, it was his turn…

"You should take care," he said, turning to mix two more of his previous creation, giving himself a bit less of the strong stuff. "I might not mix as well if I've been drinking."

He gave the red head a bit of a wink, passing the new drink across the counter, and holding his with a tiny bit of apprehension. He glanced Demyx's way, again, but quickly shook off his trepidation, turning back to Axel.

"But if you're buying," he added with a small smirk, holding his drink up, and waiting for the man's response to that.

o - o

"Is that a promise," he quipped as he took the next round from Zexion. If there was one thing Axel knew how to do, it was holding his alcohol and holding it well. That didn't necessarily mean he never got drunk, but he knew his limits.

_Maybe Roxas had limits too_, a sly voice wormed its way into his thoughts. _Maybe he had limits and you pushed him too far, too soon, and this is why he's left you now._

The painful realizations broke on him like waves, one after another as he stood there. He shouldn't care this much about one person he hardly even knew. He shouldn't be this enamored with someone several years younger than him, whose background was so vastly different from his own. Who's to say it would've lasted even if Roxas hadn't vanished?

Axel took another hard swallow, savoring the burn as the liquid slid down his throat.

"Of course," he replied as if he hadn't even considered an alternative, before turning back to the man in front of him now. Languidly, he pulled his wallet from his back jeans pocket, dipping fingers beneath the billfold and playing along its edges ever so slightly as he kept his eyes on Zexion before him.

He pulled out a couple of crisp, high-valued bills and slid them across the counter toward Zexion. "How much of your time will this buy me, do you think?"

o - o

He looked at the bills Axel placed on the counter, and swallowed hard. The heat that hit his face just then was feverish as he considered what was happening just then. How could anyone just throw that kind of money away for one night, he wondered to keep himself from thinking about the assumption he'd already jumped to at that question. He couldn't avoid it for long, however.

"Uh, Axel," he began, trying not to sound as offended as he felt. "What do you… I mean. Well, even with a higher than usual tip, you can't drink enough alcohol before I get off work to equal the amount you just put down…"

Zexion may have been infatuated with his first and only one night stand, but not so much so that he could play a whore to the man. He had to ignore that desperate voice inside of him that told him to just do anything at all that Axel asked; anything. Well, if those green eyes looked into his like that for much longer, he might just do anything asked of him. Maybe, he could get Demyx to cover the rest of his shift… maybe.

o - o

"I'm aware," Axel responded, shooting him a pointed look. "Is it enough to cover what you would've made tonight and give your blond friend," he inclined his head in the direction of the other bartender, "an incentive to keep his mouth shut if your boss comes around for a visit, though?"

When Zexion didn't initially respond, Axel shifted his wallet between hands.

"I have more, if you need it." He shrugged, tone unconcerned and eyes still on the blue-haired young man before him.

He allowed his gaze to slide lazily from the blue eyes staring back at him, to Zexion's throat, his chest and lower, as far as he could see before the bar counter blocked his view. It was a hungry gaze, easily interpretable. _I want you_, it said. _And money is no barrier to getting what I want_.

In fact, the only barrier Axel saw that could interfere with his plans for the evening was Zexion getting psyched out himself. Because Axel, at least, was well beyond ready.


	2. Follow My Lead I

**A/N**: Hmm. This fic is a lot trickier to find breaking points for without some editing, especially because there are a few stand-alone snippets of only a couple hundred words that I'm hesitant to dedicate their own chapter docs to. I guess I'll just italicize the suckers and hope they don't seem utterly out of place tacked onto longer chapters that may not seem at all related (for the time being, anyway). Also? The formatting on this sucker is so much worse than for Truth or Dare because none of the line breaks in the original paragraphs transferred so I have to do it manually. If you see some omitted breaks, it was inadvertent, ever so sorry, but this is pretty asdflkjasdfjlkd to deal with. /rambling

I'm slicing this chapter in two since it's over 8,000 words. Bises, please review if you like what you see, and I'll catch you next update!

* * *

_What to do?_

_The thing is, I want to go back. I've thought about it, and reminded myself constantly about all of the cons, the reasons I should stay away from him. And yet, I want to go back._

_I wonder if this is some form of mild insanity on my part. It must be. Who would choose a relationship with a man like him? Apparently, I would._

_Was I really in control the way he made me think I was, or was it just some game that he was playing? He's good at his games, I've seen that much. Did he really care? Did he wait? Doubtful. Why do I want to go back to a man who makes me unsure about him and about myself whenever I'm around him?_

_Yup, this must be insanity. No rational-thinking person would even consider going back to someone like that._

_Ventus is improving, though, and it wasn't technically Axel who sold to him… but still. I can't help but feel this is all his fault.. that I should keep my distance, and never look back. _

_Well, I did leave, actually. but here I sit, looking back. And wondering..._

o - o

It hadn't taken long for the two of them to depart from the bar. The moment they were out the door, Axel began walking briskly northward, away from the establishment and more toward Uptown, the arts district of the city.

"Where are we going?" The question came out of what seemed to be breathless lips, yet Axel only slowed just enough for his companion to catch up.

"One of my places," his reply was brisk. He didn't want to talk. Talking was what he did with Roxas. Talking was painful and involved thinking and feeling in an entirely non-physical way. That had been him and Roxas, and that had ended with him at his weakest. Never again.

A doorman was present to greet him at his apartment's entrance. "Mr. Damato, welcome back," the man said. "Can we expect you to remain long enough to need any services while you're here?"

The man's eyes drifted, from Axel to Zexion. He said nothing, kept his expression neutral, but polite. He, like many other members of the complex's full-time staff, knew their place. Discreetness was a valued asset when it came to Axel's comings and goings.

"Not tonight." Axel shook his head. "I'll just be here for the night, again."

He nodded his head toward the elevator. "Come on," he said, practically pushing Zexion forward. _I don't have all night_.

Except with Roxas gone, all night was exactly what Axel had. His companion didn't need to know this though. He didn't need to know anything other than to expect a repeat performance of three weeks prior. At least this time they'd be on a more comfortable bed. Or floor. He hadn't decided yet.

Fifth floor, penthouse unit. It was nothing remotely as impressive as some of his family's other holdings, but it would serve him just fine tonight. Axel dropped his keys and wallet on a small table by the elevator's entrance. No one came up here without his permission, especially not when they knew he was staying the night. They could expect privacy.

And then his lips were on Zexion's, insistent and rough. His tongue was pressing into Zexion's, moist and firm. He slid his hands down the younger male's chest, to his stomach, then waist, then across the back of his jeans. Just a slight curve back there, an exciting but slight curve. Still standing, Axel pressed his hips into Zexion's, his hands aiding in the friction as he pulled at the back of his jeans.

His mouth was on Zexion's jaw, beneath his long, colored hair, breath hot and voice purring. "Take off your clothes for me," he said. It was not a tone that left room for any protest.

o - o

The moment he left the bar, Zexion couldn't ignore what he was getting himself into, again. He knew. There had been enough memories of their first time together to get that across. Of course, he'd passed out almost immediately afterwards; how long had Axel stayed? Long enough to get dressed, maybe? Had he fallen asleep, and woken up before Zexion? The idea that this man had stayed the rest of the night, at least, had been one he'd daydreamed about, but Axel's actions at that very moment made his heart slip lower in his chest. He doubted that this man had done even that…

Trying to ignore the discomfort he felt at the look the doorman gave him, Zexion focused on Axel, trying to just let himself enjoy the fact that he was here with the red head, and that they would be together again shortly. It was his luck that the last name caught his attention, wasn't it?

Damato? As in the family? Part of him wondered if he should panic, but it was quickly subdued by the rushing up to the right apartment. If any worry was actually left once the door was closed behind him, what remained of it went completely silent when his lips were violently crushed by Axel's. He gasped when a tongue that was not his own insistently entered his mouth, and let out a quiet groan when those hands began to adamantly explore his body. He would be outright lying if he said he didn't want this, and yet… did he want it like this, again?

When Axel paused in his actions, demanding that Zexion strip for him, the shorter man felt himself hesitating. Would he be made to get dressed and leave the moment they had finished? Why didn't Axel help him with his clothes like he'd always imagined a lover would? Should he ask any of these questions now?

He was breathing heavily, watching those green eyes wearily, as he opened his mouth to respond with the first words the fell onto his tongue. "Did he say… Damato? D-down there? As in, **the **Damatos?"

He felt like a complete moron for having asked that question of all of the ones he'd been thinking, but it would do. A pause was all he needed. Zexion needed a moment to think, something he was obviously incapable of doing clearly at that particular moment in time.

o - o

He didn't like being denied, and he wouldn't be this time. Roxas' actions had made sure Axel would never allow it to happen again, if it was at all in his power.

But now Zexion was stopping, asking stupid questions he obviously already knew the answer to. Had Axel asked about _Zexion's_ family? Clearly not. Who needed to get into the details of things like this when it wasn't going to get either of them off?

Axel paused for moment, regarding the college student. "Seems like," he replied, his expression impassive, green eyes flickering a little as they reflected in the dim light from the elevator's overhead lamp.

His lips turned up into a hint of a smile as he moved closer to Zexion once more, slipping his hands under the boy's shirt and raking fingernails slowly downward.

"Why? Have you heard of me?" As he spoke, his hands settled on Zexion's jeans, slowly undoing the leather belt tightly hugging onto his hips. His voice was low and seductive and underlying it all was a hint of a challenge. _Say yes_, it said. _Tell me you've dreamt of being fucked by me for longer than you've even known me in person_.

"Now," Axel continued, his face still close to Zexion's ear, voice still erotically soft, "I don't like to be kept waiting." Fingers continued downward, tracing the trail of hair from Zexion's belly to the elastic fabric peeking out of his jeans. "Unless you followed me home just to talk about my parents all night…"

o - o

After the last time he'd decided, drunk or sober, no one had hands like Axel's hands. As those fingernails scraped against the sensitive skin of his stomach heading downwards, he found himself forgetting that he'd even asked a question to begin with. When said hands began undoing his pants, he swallowed hard, groaning again.

The insistence of it all was getting him aroused before anything had even been done, yet. "I-I've heard of your father," he answered, not noticing for once that the question had been posed rhetorically. He was a deer caught in the headlights of a speeding semi, completely at the mercy of someone who was larger than him in so many ways, and he found himself strangely not wanting to escape. He wanted to be consumed by this man, whatever it took.

He wanted to talk, too. Wanted to get to know the man he'd been thinking about, dreaming about, for months now. It couldn't have been an accident that they'd met, again, could it?

Moving to obey at the same time that the words spoken made him feel defiant, Zexion's fingers found the buttons of his shirt, beginning to undo them. "Not about your parents," he answered, trying to make his voice firm, but failing due to how out of breath he was. He tried to look Axel in the eyes as he spoke, but his fingers kept slipping around the buttons he was trying to undo. This night wasn't going at all the way he wished it would.

o - o

Axel didn't falter. When he saw something he wanted, very few things would make him hesitate or pause in pursuit of obtaining it. And nothing Zexion said had been particularly riveting.

_'I've heard of your father.' _

Who hadn't?

_'Not about your parents.'_

Of course not, when it was only Axel in the room?

Yet something about the tone of his voice, the shaking of his hands, slowed Axel down. If he'd equated it to how he'd felt the few times he'd been with Roxas, it would only have spurred him further, made his actions more violent as the evening progressed.

Perhaps it was lucky for Zexion then that the connection hadn't been made.

Nervous. He was nervous, Axel noted. Had he been the same way last time? Axel couldn't recall. Could Zexion be new to this game in some way Axel hadn't anticipated?

"You want to talk about me, then." His voice was flat, neither holding a question nor really defining the statement. His fingers fluttered at the top of Zexion's jeans almost inquisitively, but then stopped, moving higher, sliding up the cool fabric of Zexion's shirt to the topmost button. Slowly, but with confidence, Axel undid it. Then the next button and the next. And as he undressed Zexion personally, Axel cocked his head slightly and shot Zexion a sideways glance.

"What is it exactly you want to know?"

o - o

Alcohol, that was it. Why hadn't he had more alcohol this time? With it, well… he couldn't remember what the beginning of their last and first experience together was like. Maybe it was just as awkward as this, but then why would Axel ask him back? He was ruining everything, making a disaster of the second chance he'd grown fairly certain that he'd never have. He couldn't even unbutton his own shirt.

Then Axel's voice filled his ears again, hands distracting Zexion with fingers that explored his body, sliding up his torso. It was all he could do not to moan, biting at his lip to compensate. The fluttering in his stomach got worse as those inquisitive fingers undid the topmost button of his work shirt, winged creatures in his stomach multiplying as another came undone, and then another. So when those teasing green eyes locked on his and the question was posed from those perfect lips, Zexion jumped at it like a lifeline.

"Everything, anything," he said before thinking. "I mean, you know. Do you collect anything? What's your favorite hobby? What…" and he paused here, half remembering what happened last time he asked this question, but recklessly continuing on despite that. "What do your tattoos mean?"

One hand found its way up to Axel's face, at that, gently stroking one tattoo with his thumb as he asked, before sliding down over the reachable parts of the taller male's body where he vaguely remembered more inked skin hid.

He was losing control fast, and inwardly Zexion lamented his lack of experience now that he was going to be up close and personal with a mostly sober Axel this time. If only he'd spent a little more time getting to know his fellow students, instead of spending it all studying… well, no guarantees he'd be in this mess if he'd changed anything at all about his life, really. All he could do now was hope that he did something, anything Axel would want to come back for.

o - o

Hobbies? Things he collected? These were all questions that were teetering dangerously close to something someone interested in a relationship would ask. Axel didn't want a relationship. He wanted sex. For the first time that evening, Axel cursed himself for not having stayed long enough at the bar to ensure his companion had come home more loosened up, or just flat-out drunk.

He knew why he hadn't. It was more fun to fuck someone sober, someone who knew what they were doing and whose passionate words were moaned with sincerity. Plus, they could go for longer, make things more interesting.

Zexion was obviously enjoying his touches though, Axel could see that much, from his struggles to remain quiet and in control of himself.

Fine then. He could play this get-to-know-you game. Axel was willing to bet he could get Zexion stripped before he had to say anything truly personal anyway.

He continued unbuttoning Zexion's shirt, ignoring the gentle hand brushing his face almost entirely. "I don't have time for hobbies in my line of work," he replied as the last button released, revealing Zexion's chest to him. His hands trailed lower, brushing against the belt Zexion was wearing.

"I collect weapons," he continued, unclasping the belt and using it to pull Zexion's hips closer to his in one smooth motion. "Rare or unusual weapons. You'll probably see the displays in the morning with some better lighting.

"And the tattoos," for a moment, he simply rubbed his hips into Zexion's, drawing out the word as his hand snaked around Zexion's waist. It came to rest on his ass, and Axel allowed his fingers to slide over the vertical seam of Zexion's jeans teasingly. "The tattoos are for important events in my life."

He didn't wait for a response, wasn't particularly interested in one. Axel realized he hadn't really answered the inquiries with any clarity but who cared? He hadn't brought Zexion here to talk, that much was obvious. What more could he want from him? Axel refused to think of another boy, a blond with confident blue eyes, who'd also denied him in favor of talking. That was different. Roxas had been special.

His lips found Zexion's neck, and he was on him once more, kissing, sucking, biting. His breath was hot, stance inviting as he began grinding against Zexion with more insistency. Slowly he made his way up to Zexion's ear, taking the lobe in his mouth, going over it with measured flicks of his tongue. Axel's voice was a soft, suggestive purr when he spoke next again. "Satisfied now?"

o - o

He drank in every word Axel said, ignoring for now those he did not. Feeling his eyes flutter shut when those hands slid across his bare skin, Zexion had to force them to open again, not wanting to miss any of this. He was afraid that after this night he would be left with dreams again, and nothing more, so he would savor the whole experience.

Forgetting about being quiet and listening for a moment, he moaned outright when Axel pressed their hips together, one of those hands playing suggestively at his backside. He clung to the words, one word in particular that made him relax a little bit, releasing a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. 'Morning,' he had said.

That was all he needed to finally melt into those touches, the body in front of his insisting, and him finally relenting. The moan that slipped through his lips came out rather loudly when Axel's hot mouth closed around sensitive places on his neck, his ear, teeth and tongue teasing at his exposed skin. Zexion felt his face heat, but then his whole body was on fire just then, so a blush wouldn't be noticed, right?

Axel's question… he'd almost completely forgotten they'd been talking just a moment ago. Without thinking, he was doing a lot of that tonight it seemed, Zexion answered the red head's question with a firm "no" before grabbing the other man's face with both hands and kissing him as passionately as he knew how.

He wasn't a stranger to kissing, at least, which was something he felt he had going for him. It was sex he didn't know, having not previously understood why anyone would just want to do that with someone else. Zexion hadn't seen the logic in dating much before now.

Now he felt his body responding to Axel's instinctively, and he surrendered to it. Feeling himself press his hips into those above his, responding to an innate need for more friction, and hearing himself moaning into those experienced lips from the way all of this made him feel. This was it. Zexion was here with Axel, and now that he was he wanted to try new things; experiment. When would he get a chance to do it otherwise?

He felt his hands reach for Axel's jeans, tugging at the belt there, but taking his time now. Yes, his hands were still shaking, his body still trembling, but he still managed to undo the belt there and after only a small pause the button beneath it. Zexion wanted to feel the man pressing insistently against him now that he could remember it all…

o - o

Satisfied or not, Axel found himself amused by the blue-haired man's negative assertion, so quickly followed by crushing kisses forcing his grin away, forcing him to take notice.

Even then, there was something different to it, something needier than he was used to. Who put their hands on the face of the person they were intending to fuck, for one? And whose fingers shook with such agitation at the prospect of loosening his belt buckle?

So many things here added up to virgin-with-a-crush that Axel himself might've believed it and backed off, if he hadn't already been in this position with the college student a previous night.

Definitely wasn't a virgin then, so what was his deal?

Roxas had been this way too, except bolder, and very adamant that their clothing remain on. He'd been Axel's tantalizing high, his teasing kisses driving Axel to the brink of madness and longing. Roxas could do it with just a touch, or a word. And Axel had let him go where he'd allowed no one else to venture before. He'd let him take control, even if it hadn't been in a sexual way.

_Roxas, where are you? Where did you go? Why did you leave?_

The thoughts were painful, gut-wrenching. How could someone so naive and small do this to him?

At the feel of fingers lightly fluttering beneath his navel though, Axel pushed the thoughts away. He'd brought the part-time bartender all the way back here, so he might as well get some enjoyment out of it. He glanced down, noting the grey elastic of his boxer briefs peeking out over his now unbuttoned jeans.

In one smooth motion, Axel shrugged his coat off. It dropped to the floor with a muffled thud. Then off came his shirt in the same manner, tossed to the floor without a backwards glance. He stood in front of Zexion now, face hovering slightly above the shorter man's head, upper body open and exposed to him, challenging him to touch, to bite, to take. Dark tattoos lined one shoulder and snaked around one hip until it was out of sight. "Now, Zexion. I have a question for _you_, if you'll indulge it."

He leaned closer, still not touching Zexion and asked a simple, meaningful question of his own. "What do you want to do with me?"

o - o

To be honest, Zexion had never imagined that Axel would stand there and strip for him like this, just dropping his clothes like it wasn't a big deal. Zexion was, well, half terrified to take his clothes off, his unbuttoned shirt still covering his shoulders like a shield. What if Axel didn't like what he saw when that shirt came off? What if he didn't like what he saw when… when the pants came off? What if he wasn't… big enough for Axel? Then again, it wasn't as though the red head hadn't seen all of this before, right?

He was staring when the other man's question caught him off-guard. Want? He wanted everything, and nothing. Zexion knew what it felt like to want this man, but he also knew what it felt like to hurt when Axel left. It would be worse this time. What if he just left, right now? What if…

He knew he wouldn't be able to do it; knew Axel would have to throw him bodily from the room before he could physically go anywhere.

"I want," he began, hesitating, his fingers gripping the top of the taller man's pants almost as if he'd fall without that hold. He'd decided he would experiment though, hadn't he? He _wanted _Axel, so why was he hesitating? "I want to taste you," he said, lowering himself to his knees in front of the red head, and grabbing hold of those green eyes the best way he knew how.

His shaking hands moved to the man's zipper, and he hurriedly tried to recall everything he'd looked up since his last experience with the body in front of him on how to please another male body; to be memorable…

Zexion was still afraid though. He didn't know what he'd do if those green eyes rejected him; it was so much effort to make himself do any of this in the first place. How would Axel respond?

o - o

At the slate-haired male's words, Axel felt his stomach tighten with a pleasant flutter of anticipation. His jeans were quite suddenly too tight for him, and he felt the discomfort of his arousal very acutely. Maybe this younger one did have some potential after all, he mused, as he watched Zexion reach for his pants, lower himself to his knees and begin to unzip.

And this would've been a position Axel would have been quite amenable to remaining in, if not for his last minute note of the hands.

Why was he shaking so badly? It was oral sex, not neurosurgery.

Deep down, Axel thought he already knew the answer. For the first time in his life, he wondered if he should turn down sex on moral grounds. This was Roxas all over again, except without his companion asking him to stop this time.

'I want to taste you,' he'd said. Not 'I want to blow you,' or 'I want to suck you off,' or any other number of impersonal phrases Zexion could've chosen. For the first time, Axel looked down at Zexion and realized something was different. Maybe not for Axel, but for his companion, almost certainly. For the first time, Axel wondered what he'd just gotten himself into, and not the other way around.

Done unzipping, Zexion seemed to hesitate a moment, and Axel made his move.

"Hey," he said, bending over just enough to catch hold of Zexion's hands and pull him to standing. For a moment they just looked at each other. Axel was the one to turn away first.

"Come on," he almost muttered, inclining his head toward one of the doorways in the distance. Stopping someone eager to go down on him before he'd even started…this was a first, he figured.

He led Zexion through a doorway at the far end of his foyer. Expansive and grand, a bedroom came immediately into view on the other side. For a moment, Zexion seemed to hesitate again. Axel raised his eyes skyward before grabbing one of the bartender's hands and practically pulling him over to the bed, pulling him back over to his own body.

Fleetingly, Axel wondered what it would have been like to see Roxas drop to his knees like that before him, but just as quickly he banished the thought. With his well-defined features beneath a tuft of long, thick hair, Zexion wasn't exactly a poor sight to take in either from that angle.

Axel moved to a seated position on the bed, still guiding Zexion with him, but not yet pulling him down. His face was parallel to Zexion's narrow waist and he took in the mostly still clothed man with a lustful expression. Deep down, he was a little frustrated with himself for feeling the need to make something impersonal quite a lot otherwise. This really, technically, wasn't necessary. What was done was done though.

"Now," he said, exhaling the word in one hot breath onto Zexion's stomach. Axel looked up at this point, green eyes locking mischievously on Zexion's before flicking his tongue out, around the man's navel. "You were saying something about wanting a taste?"


	3. Follow My Lead II

**A/N**: Okay, you know what, eff weekly updates. I'll post this whole MFer up in one go if that's what I feel like doing. Plus, it's my birthday in about 30 minutes. I do what I want.

Also got some really lovely feedback from my offline writing group on an original fiction novel I'm working on, so I'm in a celebratory mood all-around at the moment. It's a shame I have to be an adult and go to work tomorrow. Otherwise, I'd probably be up all night editing and writing. Hell, I'm not _that_ much of an adult, so I just still might.

I'm starting to see a hike in views for this story and it got its first follow today. Ta, much! I'd love to hear readers' thoughts as well. Prego, cari, review, si? Ciao, belli~

* * *

He'd done something wrong. Zexion knew he had as soon as Axel stopped him. No one ever stopped anyone from doing that from what he'd read; it was supposed to feel amazing. However, here was a long arm pulling him to his feet, and staring at him. He was going to be thrown out, he just knew it.

Then, Axel turned, telling him to follow, and forcing his legs to move, Zexion soon found himself in another room of the apartment; Axel's bedroom. He couldn't help but pause in the doorway to this room. It was huge, lavish, and bigger than his mother's living room! It made him feel oddly insignificant, half wondering why anyone like this man with intense green eyes would ever look at him at all, let alone invite him to this apartment.

He didn't get to wonder long, though. Axel pulled him forward, closer, and he couldn't tear his eyes away from the red head's as the taller of the two of them sat himself on the edge of the bed. The other man's breath moving past his middle, and a pleasant shudder ran down his spine.

Axel's teasing voice, those words; he wouldn't have even hesitated except the red head chose that moment to touch Zexion's skin with that hot, wet tongue of his causing a moan to fight its way up his throat despite his attempts to keep it down. Almost mechanically, he felt himself sliding down to his knees in front of Axel, pressing the man's knees a little wider apart to make sure that he fit there, before moving forward. He'd never seen anyone do this with clothes still on when he'd searched, but it couldn't really matter, could it?

His eyes flicked from green eyes to red underwear and back as his hands, slightly steadier than before, moved forward to grab hold of an erection he could easily see despite the fabric. Then he was leaning forward, sliding his tongue along the underside of the red head's still covered penis, and closing his lips around the tip before moving as much of the fabric aside as he could manage and going to work with his mouth and hands.

Zexion wasn't sure if Axel would like anything he did, seeing as how he'd just watched other people do it online to figure out what to do, but he tried to copy their actions as best he could, surprised at how the flavor (because, yes, Axel did have his own flavor) made him want more of the man in front of him. …he would not have thought that was even possible.

o - o

Without preamble, or really any teasing, Axel felt Zexion's mouth on him through his boxers.

Straight to the point. Axel could respect that. He could also throw his head back, elbows supporting the rest of his body as he let out a low groan, the pleasure of Zexion's tongue mixing with the almost unbearable pressure of being confined within close-fitting fabric.

It wasn't long before Zexion released him. Again, the bartender wasted no time, taking Axel's arousal in his mouth the moment it was available to do so. Axel took in a ragged breath and reached for Zexion's head, hand tangling in long blue hair. For the most part he was quiet, content to savor the feeling, although the silence was punctuated by occasional murmurs and moans on his part.

It wasn't the best he'd ever had, no. But there was something just plain _hot_ about the way Zexion looked at him, the way he seemed so eager to please. And before long, Axel found himself getting louder, more frequent in his audible displays of pleasure.

Suddenly he sat up, panting, and gently pushed Zexion away from his lap while at the same time taking hold of him and pulling him up onto the bed with him. For a moment, he even allowed Zexion the feeling of being on top of him, stomach pressed against his arousal, before Axel rolled them over, switching the positions.

"I find it interesting, Zexion, that most of your clothing is still on, considering my request not so long ago." His fingernails dug slightly into the man's upper arms as Axel pinned him to the bed, grinding against Zexion's lap with his own exposed skin. "Maybe now's a good time to address that."

He released the man's arms, placing his hands on either side of the bartender, before lowering his face to Zexion's ear. "Otherwise it's going to be a little difficult for me to fuck you nice and slow, wouldn't you think?"

o - o

Never in his wildest imaginings had Zexion thought he'd be in this position, touching and tasting Axel, or making those noises come out of the red head's throat. No, he thought the last time they'd been together, the time he could barely remember, was it. Now here he was, and Axel tasted… god he felt himself becoming aroused from the taste alone. Then there was the moaning, and the fingers in his hair; things that Zexion definitely never ever knew he would like were getting him very much in the mood for this whole thing.

When the red head pulled him off though, he felt his stomach drop, wondering what he'd done wrong to make Axel stop him. He'd never seen anyone stopped in the videos he'd watched to prepare for this possibility. Unsure if he could protest because what if Axel really hadn't liked it, Zexion allowed himself to be pulled up, moved, and then pressed against the other male's body.

It was, well… if he'd been aroused before, what he had right now was downright painful. The relief he felt when Axel rolled them both over and pinned him almost came out in a sigh before he repressed it with a tiny gasp of … want. He wanted that body pressed against his, filling his, so badly. The memories he had of that drunken night before were not good enough, in snatches like they'd been. Now he wanted something he could actually grasp, and mentally hold onto.

This time when Axel suggested he strip, the only hesitation left was due to the moan those hands and hips elicited from Zexion's mouth. As soon as the red head let him go, he was shrugging out of his work shirt, unbuttoning his pants, and wriggling out of them as best he could without getting up. It wasn't as difficult as it could have been since his work clothes weren't meant to show his figure or anything silly like that, but he had to be careful not to harm his partner by mistake.

When he was naked, he began to remember why he'd hesitated in the first place, half afraid that he wouldn't be good enough for a sober Axel her was looking him over with a look on his face that Zexion didn't know how to read. The pause however almost made him grab the other man impatiently, and despite his current worries, he couldn't help but gasp an almost pleading sounding, "Axel…"

o - o

"Patience," he soothed, his tone holding a promise and his lips finding the hollow of Zexion's throat once more. When he looked up, Zexion was undressed, and Axel took in the sight hungrily, appreciating the college student's lithe figure, enjoying his obvious arousal. For a brief moment, Axel imagined the blue-haired male positioning him against a wall, pressing into him slow and teasingly.

For someone who rarely liked to be submissive, the idea was more than a little unsettling. Why had it come to him now? His expression hardened a bit, as he forced himself back to the moment at present.

Still on top of Zexion, Axel shifted his weight to one hand, and began to slide his jeans and boxers off with little hesitation. Kicking them off his ankles at the end, he focused back on Zexion, appreciating the different tone of their two exposed bodies. Axel lowered himself, until half of his body was between Zexion's legs. Then he began to rub, feeling their arousals slide beside and press against one another, slow and languorous. If there was one thing Axel knew how to do, it was build tension. He liked to hear his partners beg.

"Does it feel good," he breathed, lips close to Zexion's ear again. "Do you want more?" He moved back slightly, allowing his cock to slide down between Zexion's legs before returning to its previous position, his lips back at the side of Zexion's face. "Tell me what you want me to do."

o - o

It did not take much of this type of teasing to reduce Zexion to a quivering, writhing mess beneath Axel's teasing form. He was still nervous. Unable to remember the last time, he was very afraid of the pain he'd woken up with the morning after, and yet still anticipating being with Axel again. Maybe it had only felt like that because it had been his first time, anyway. Virgins were… something that made it hurt, sometimes bleed. Research was the only thing he'd ever been good at, it seemed, and he had researched as much about these things as he possibly could.

Apparently, that didn't make the experiences any easier, though. He wrapped his arms around Axel, one around the middle of his form, and one around his neck, pulling the man closer against him, even while the other body resisted to remain hovering somewhat above him.

The whispered questions were answered without thinking, one after the other. "Yes," he gasped once, and then, "Yes," again. His body trembled as Axel slid closer to the back, over a too sensitive place on his body, and Zexion felt everything tighten almost painfully.

"Nnnnghhh, Axel," he groaned. How badly he wanted, but he didn't know what. He almost hadn't understood the question that had been asked, having assessed it without actually realizing he had been asked anything.

Realization sent him reeling, though. What did Axel mean what did _he _want _him _to do? When did it start mattering what he wanted? And then hope more powerful than anything Zexion had ever felt in his life sprang to being in his chest; no going back from that one. He looked at Axel, those intense green eyes staring down at him almost… hungrily, and he _wanted_.

Moaning, half miserably and half hungrily, he managed to gasp out an answer, though if he'd thought about his words beforehand he might not have actually said them. "Take me," he gasped. "Fill me." His arms tightened against slick darker skin as he answered, and he ground his own hips upward to underscore the meaning of his words before he could lose his nerve.

o - o

Now it was Axel's turn to moan, as Zexion started begging and rasping his name almost incoherently. Compared to many of his prior partners, Zexion's words were tame. There was still something hot about the raw need in them though. Axel wondered if he'd lost his only opportunity to hear the same from Roxas…

Axel let out a low growl of his own the moment he felt Zexion respond in kind, grinding his hips into Axel's. He pulled up and away from Zexion for a moment, a self-satisfied smirk on his face as he opened a drawer beneath the mattress of his bed. A slight 'pop' could be heard, then silence, save for the shifting of bedsheets as Axel returned to Zexion's side.

As he shifted into a comfortable position, teeth nipping at the side of Zexion's chest, a teasing finger slid down Zexion's stomach, traced the underside of his erection, then moved lower. Then he was switching fingers, to one that he'd just smeared with lubricant, teasing at Zexion's entrance almost inquisitively.

"Do you remember much of our last encounter, Zexion," Axel asked, his voice low, mischievous. He paused a moment to let the boy respond.

Then, without further preamble, Axel slid his middle finger into Zexion, slowly but at a steady pace, fully up to his hand. Curving upward, his finger searched almost languidly for that one certain spot, sure he'd know immediately when he found it. "If you hadn't already guessed," he continued, beginning to pull his finger out, then probing deeply back in, "this time's going to take longer."

o - o

If Zexion had been writhing before, he was positively twitching now; though he hoped that wasn't literal as he felt one of Axel's fingers slide down his chest further and further down. His whole body felt tight, and it seemed like all he was trying to do was concentrate on **not **coming. That wasn't exactly something he'd anticipated during daydreams of this exact event.

He didn't trust his voice at all when that amazingly sexy and deep voice asked him a question, so he contented himself with nodding his head somewhat wildly, and humming out a, "Mmmhmmm." Unfortunately, he didn't manage to suppress the slight whimper that slipped from his throat at the memory of the pain… from that night and from the morning after. Zexion felt his body tense then, despite his efforts to do precisely what he'd read everywhere someone in his position was supposed to do: relax. A deep breath and Axel's finger sliding around a very sensitive area on his body took care of some of that, and in spite of the memory of pain he felt eagerness fill his body. He _wanted _so much.

His breath hitched when a long, slippery finger slipped inside of him, and then gasped when it slid out only to repeat the motion. So not the pain he had been expecting, and not the complete ravaging of his body that last time had entailed for this part of their intimate dealings. He could feel Axel searching for something, his finger not simply going straight in and out, but circling within him. Before he could come to the mental realization, he felt a fire course through his entire body, arching his back and opening his mouth in a silent scream as his experienced partner found what he'd been searching for. Zexion couldn't see Axel's face, couldn't do more than crack his eyes open to even look at the other man, but he could imagine the smirk on the man's face; haughty and self-satisfied. Then another finger joined the first, and he began to concentrate very hard on relaxing his body so as not to finish too soon… he was already too close.

"Nnnngh, Ax… Axel. H-huh… god!"

o - o

Now this was more like it, the sounds his companion was making now. Axel felt himself twitch in response to Zexion's moans and the rippling effect it seemed to have on every muscle in his body.

_Found it_…his own self-assured thoughts rang out in his mind as Zexion began to writhe next to him, his mouth an open void of silent but obvious pleasure.

Slowly, surely, he added another finger, keeping the pace delayed, excruciating. He'd make sure the man wouldn't finish before he wanted him to. This was just the preparation, for even Axel didn't like the thought that he had very likely been this person's first time and had treated him so roughly. He'd show Zexion what it was to be fucked correctly this time, away from the overwhelming influence of alcohol. Tonight would simply be about need.

And patience.

From within him, Axel spread his fingers slightly, stretching Zexion in a gradual way, preparing his body for what was to come. Now that he knew where his companion's sweet spot was, this would be fun for both of them. He avoided it for a time, simply alternating between stretching and shallow penetration with his fingers. Then, suddenly, Axel tickled one finger against Zexion's prostate, fluttering so lightly Zexion may not have felt it — if it were any other place on his body.

Axel reveled in Zexion's reaction, his smirk a permanent feature just as sharp as the others on his face.

"Zexion," Axel breathed, still moving his fingers in time with the bartender's writhing movements. "I think you're ready for me now." Slowly, he slid one finger out, then the other. Sitting up, Axel took a moment to observe the body beneath him, muscles tense, cock hard and upright before him. With Zexion's blue hair still covering one eye and complimenting pale, almost translucent skin, he could almost admit to himself that it was a lovely sight.

"Hands and knees," Axel continued, his voice more commanding this time, though still sultry and leaving no room for argument. "If you want me to fill you up to my hilt, get on your hands and knees."

o - o

If he'd been capable of focusing on the noises that were coming out of his own mouth, Zexion would have been remarkably embarrassed to be in his position. His cheeks were flushed, yes, but that was more from his obvious arousal than from embarrassment. At least, it was until Axel pulled his fingers out, a movement that Zexion _almost_ protested, and spoke to him.

Well, he hadn't expected for the man to have sex with him face on, really; he'd just hoped. Then again, wouldn't it be safer, sober as he was, not to face those intense green eyes the first time he would remember everything they did together? Then again, what if it was the last time they were together? He wanted to remember.

The state of his body made the decision for him when Axel made his firm request, making him sit up and turn around before he had hesitated for long. Whatever the red head commanded, he could do; he could.

o - o

The first thrust was always the most satisfying for Axel. The sounds he heard, the sensations he felt — all added up to an enjoyable experience for the red haired man.

For a moment, he simply savored the view though: Zexion on his large bed, on his hands and knees and trembling ever so slightly, cock hard and swaying gently right below his stomach.

Axel moved into position on the bed behind Zexion himself, mindful of the need for lubricant, the need to make this an enjoyable experience for them both. He reached for the bottle and a condom, putting the latter on with practiced ease and squeezing a liberal amount of the lube onto his hand so he could rub it up and down his own arousal, covering it all. It felt good, yes. Filling Zexion would feel better.

And then he was teasing at Zexion's entrance, one hand directing his own cock, the other at Zexion's back, fingers splaying in a gentle, massaging circular movement.

"Relax," he breathed. "It'll feel better that way."

It was the only warning Axel would give Zexion. A moment later, he pressed in, entering Zexion in one smooth motion. A groan of surprise escaped Axel's mouth. He hadn't remembered this one being so tight, so pleasurable. He'd been half drunk out of his mind the last time they'd been together though. Some things were easy to forget under the influence.

Slowly, Axel began to pull out, then slide back in, keeping his pace easy, leisurely even. Any faster and this entire experience would be over in a matter of seconds for him, and there was no fun in that. Slowly, slowly, he kept pace, allowing Zexion freedom of movement if he wanted to in some way contribute.

And if not, Axel was content to fuck him slowly, happy to slide his free hand around Zexion's thigh, searching for his companion's arousal to stroke during the process as well.

o - o

Zexion didn't know what kind of experience Axel had his first time, or second, but telling someone to relax and making them feel relaxed weren't exactly the same thing. Of course, no sooner had that thought crossed his mind then the other man's hand, which was rubbing soothing circles into his lower back, began to really register in his mind. He had to admit, it did make him feel a bit more relaxed. Then again, the moment he felt pressure _there_, he couldn't help the tensing, again.

So as Axel pressed against him, slowly invading his body, he placed his mind firmly on something analytical, focusing both on the last equation he could remember from his math course earlier and forcing his body to relax. It still stung, quite a lot actually, but there was a sort of pleasure that came along with that feeling, which was not something he was expecting. This was much, much better than the last time. There was no chance to relax once the other man was fully in, however, and Zexion gasped (again, maybe? He couldn't recall the sound that had escaped him the first time) as Axel moved to pull out of him only to push all the way in the next moment.

He couldn't help but tense around Axel as the other man continued the rocking movement, feeling that longed for sensation of being filled by _that_ man with _those_ green eyes that looked right passed whatever he wore on the outside in a way that made him feel somewhat violated; except in a way that made him want more.

Zexion was no longer aware of the noises coming out of his own mouth, no longer aware of the room or even the world around him; there was only him and Axel and those beautiful sounds coming out of the other male's mouth. He wished that he could see the look on his partner's face, wondering what he looked like when he made that groaning and that moaning noise. Imagination wasn't his strong point, but what little it supplied him with was enough to turn him on as though he'd actually caught a glimpse of Axel's lust filled green eyes half closed in the throes of ecstasy.

He moaned at the thought, feeling somehow closer to this body that he hadn't even seen in so long, and wanting more. Why did it all have to feel so good? Zexion was sure that with this motion, him unconsciously pressing back against Axel as the red head pushed further in, combined with the friction the other man's hand was causing around his own penis was going to make him finish too soon. He wanted to enjoy this.

Of course, he probably shouldn't have done it, considering his worries, but still… words he'd never even thought before decided to push themselves from his mouth, just the same. "Nnnngh, god, Axel. Ah! God, yes. Mmmm-more…h-harder, nnnng-ah!"

o - o

Finally, some sounds. Finally, some words. _Harder_. Axel was only too willing to comply. His thrusts became quicker, fingers around Zexion's cock more erratic as he quickened his pace. It was the sound of parts of his own body slapping against the bartender's exposed backside that really began to drive him over the edge though.

Breathing hard, he could feel his own body building, tightening to an anticipated crescendo. Losing his grip on Zexion momentarily, Axel contented himself with fondling the other man's balls as he got his bearings, preparing for the final moments of something he refused yet to call lovemaking. A moment later, he was back to stroking, fingers firm against the engorged skin of Zexion's erection.

And then he was coming, still thrusting into Zexion as deeply as he was able, shooting stream after stream as his body released within Zexion's tight and warm depths. Beneath him, Axel could feel Zexion shuddering, just as he had only a moment before. Exhaustion washed over him in an instant, but Axel kept his hand steady, still stroking hard, ensuring Zexion felt the same satisfaction he had just experienced a second earlier.

When it was all over, Axel wouldn't be able to explain what it was that allowed Zexion to stay the night. It might have been the way the long-haired male clung to him. It might have just been generosity. Perhaps if Axel ever took a moment to be truly candid with himself, he'd have admitted it was pure loneliness on his part.

Whatever the case, Zexion remained. _He_ let Zexion remain. And as he felt himself drifting, sweat-soaked but satisfied, the tormenting thoughts of another boy who had left him were finally, if perhaps temporarily, replaced, blond hair for slate, confident expression for one much more subdued.

But the blue eyes…the blue eyes remained the same.


	4. Call It What You Want I

**A/N**: Bahaha, after all that grouching over not wanting to have to go to work tomorrow (which is now today), we're in the midst of a winter storm (torrential rain, not snow, thankfully), and I get to work from home today anyway. Score. Plus, it's my birthday! Instead of getting gifts, I'm going to give one out in the form of this next chapter. OK, fine. I'll also be going out for drinks, then clubbing with friends later tonight, crappy weather be damned. We're all winners here.

Anyway, this is one of my favorite chapters. It's another two-parter. #sorrynotsorry. I dunno, there's just something that tickles my fancy about Axel having a snarky sister.

If you agree, leave a review. If you don't, leave a review. I think the point is just to review and let me know what you think. K? K. Alla prossima!

* * *

_No, Ventus didn't die, I'm just being a little melodramatic. This is my recording of the death of my sanity. Earlier today, I grabbed my car keys and wallet, walked out the door, and started my car. Without even thinking about anything, or really knowing (or caring) where I was going, I started driving._

_I should probably point out that I've done this every morning at precisely the same time since we put Ventus into rehab, so this wasn't exactly out of the ordinary for me._

_So I just kept driving. Not thinking, just going like I usually do. The radio was on, and some horrible, pop singer was whining about the love some anonymous writer gave them the words to describe, and I must have let it sink into me. I must have, because the next thing I knew, I looked up and I was idling my car outside of this bar near Axel's side of town. My parents' house is an hour and a half away from there, and Ventus's rehab center is only twenty minutes away from their house._

_I'm still trying to figure out how I ended up in that area… I don't understand what is going on with my mind, lately. It's like I'm going half insane due to a separation that I know is healthier for me than the alternative. Yet, there I was… outside of the bar I was supposed to meet him at the night that I decided to leave; the night Ventus ODed._

_Well, I turned around and got the fuck outta there, needless to say… but maybe, just maybe, my mind is trying to tell me something with all of this. Maybe, I actually need that son-of-a-bitch in my life?_

_…I'll need to reconsider the whole thing, maybe. I'm not going back just because of a mental slip up._

o - o

There was not enough light in the room when Zexion first became aware of the conscious world around him that morning. Groaning quietly he had rolled over without opening his eyes, and snuggled further into the blankets trying to remember the wonderful dream he'd been having. It had involved Axel, right?

That was when his eyes snapped open, his memory supplying him with all of the events of the previous night in an instant. Of course, he had to shut them again immediately, and then blink a few more times before the light in the room, even dim as it was, didn't hurt his head. His throat was dry, but he ignored that for the moment trying to assess whether or not Axel was still asleep without rolling over again. He couldn't hear anything. That either meant that the other man was an incredibly quiet person, he was dead, or…

Zexion rolled over to find the bed empty save for himself, and sighed. He hadn't realized just how much he had been hoping to find Axel still asleep with him until the hope was dashed, and his heart was somewhere in his stomach. 'Maybe, he had an early appointment,' Zexion tried to justify to himself. 'Maybe Axel would be right back.' He didn't really believe his own ideas, however. No, the red head had left him there again, and there was no sense in building one's hopes up only to have them snipped down yet again.

So, with a more realistic mindset Zexion rolled himself to the edge of the big bed, groaning a little when he came to a seated position. He was sore, though definitely not as sore as last time, and he was still sticky from sweat and… he needed a shower.

He wasn't sure which to take care of first, but the bathroom seemed first on the list of things to do. So he got up, went to the bathroom, avoided the mirror at all costs, and when he was finished, decided that the kitchen just might be the best place to go next. His throat was dry and scratchy. Unsure of what to do about his clothes, he grabbed the first shirt he saw from the floor, pulled it over his head, and opened the door of the bedroom to search for some water.

o - o

Axel was not having a fantastic morning, as far as mornings generally went.

It hadn't been last night's sex. That had been…well, _hot_, to put it mildly. He could at least admit that privately to himself. It hadn't even been waking up next to Zexion. He wasn't Roxas, never would be. But there was something endearing about being outright wanted in a way it didn't seem as though Roxas ever did.

He'd woken with Zexion's face tucked into the nape of his neck, long, colored hair tangled around the younger man's face and shoulders. Axel had even allowed himself a few moments to savor the feeling.

Then it was all business though, up and into the shower. Toweling off, he slipped on clean boxer briefs and slid into a pair of form-fitting dark designer jeans. He'd find a shirt later. First, some rather immediate business to attend to.

Room service.

So, maybe Axel did have a sappy side. At the very least, he felt guilty about leaving Zexion after their first night together. That had, after all, been a pretty dick move on his part.

He heard rustlings from the bedroom, the sounds of the shower being turned back on. A moment later, his cell vibrated in his pocket. Fishing it out, Axel groaned when he saw the ID, but accepted the call.

"It's seven-fucking-thirty in the morning," was the only greeting he gave the caller.

A feminine voice scoffed a little across the line.

"Good morning, Tifa. It's _so great_ to hear from you once in awhile. How's your life been? I don't hear enough about it." The woman's voice was laced with sarcasm.

"Fuck off," he shot back. "Why are you calling so early? You're lucky I'm even up."

Axel could hear Tifa sighing through the line. "Tonio," she said, her voice turning neutral.

Axel bristled. "What about that motherfucker? I thought his last screw-up got him axed."

"Yes, well, apparently he knows how to kiss ass with the best of them. Papà's specifically."

Axel turned, leaning one hand on the marble countertop in the center of his kitchen. "You have got to be kidding." His voice came out in a frustrated growl. Not only was Tonio a fuck-up, he was an arrogant asshole who didn't know his place, thought he could make his money — taking money from _Axel's_ family — without paying his dues. Somehow, his father always saw Tonio as some sort of protege, something Axel could never personally understand himself. He'd been a thorn in Axel's side ever since he'd signed on to work for their father.

He heard the shower turn off, some more shuffling coming from the bedroom. Then a click, as the master's door opened and Zexion presumably roamed out into the hall, getting ever closer.

"That's not all," Tifa continued. This time her voice held a note of hesitation. Or…was it fear? She knew how much Axel hated bad news.

Not wanting to be overheard in his own home, Axel switched to Italian, hoping it was a language the bookish bartender wouldn't understand.

"Now's really not a good time to talk, Tifita," he said, using the diminutive form of his sister's name, hoping she'd get the drift and call him back later.

Instead, she laughed softly. Axel could almost imagine the sly expression on her face at her next words.

"Someone over there with you, _mio_ _caro_? Enjoy yourself a little too much last night?"

"Not as much as papà'll enjoy dealing with our little 'problem' the next time he screws us all out of another deal," Axel shot back, his voice tense.

"What's he look like? Does he have a brother, by chance? You and I have similar tastes, you know."

He could hear the teasing smugness in her voice. _Bitch_. Tifa could hold his gender preferences over him all she wanted, and she knew it, because if their family found out, he'd be more fucked than Zexion had been the night before.

The doorbell to his suite rang.

"Got to go," he said, pulling the phone away from his ear. He could hear his sister begin to protest on the other end of the line — something she just _had_ to tell him right this instant — but killed the connection before she could say much more. He'd deal with Tifa later. First thing's first. Food. And Zexion.

Brushing past the gawking figure in the hallway, Axel greeting Zexion with a curt "morning" before heading to the door. On the other end waited a staff member with a rolling cart and a selection of warm breakfast foods. Tipping the staffer accordingly, and paying no mind to the fact that he was still only half dressed, Axel rolled the cart into the room and beckoned Zexion to follow him into the kitchen.

o - o

Just as he was about to open the door to the room he'd been hiding within, he heard noises on the other side of the barrier, and hesitated. Had Axel been here the whole time? Worried about the exact answer to that question, and wondering whether or not he was really welcome here, he pushed the door open slowly and stepped out into the open, blinking slightly.

This room was much brighter than the other two had been, but when his eyes finished adjusting he was met with a view he couldn't say he expected or disliked. Axel had obviously been there the whole time because he was standing shirtless in the middle of the room, cell phone to his ear and speaking what Zexion recognized to be Italian, though recognition of a language didn't exactly mean understanding. It was probably the sexiest thing he had ever witnessed with his own eyes, and this was the man who he had been with last night.

He didn't realize that his mouth was open until Axel was brushing past him to open the door, and snapping his phone shut at nearly the same moment. "Morning," he heard himself answering back, without having actually chosen to speak the word.

A moment later he was blinking, having torn his eyes away from Axel to notice the cart he was pushing into the room. The tense tone the red haired man had taken on the phone a moment ago made Zexion nervous, and he wondered why exactly he hadn't been thrown out, yet. Then again, that perfect mouth had promised 'morning' in the heat of the moment last night, but nothing else, if he recalled correctly. Oh, wait. There might be weapons to see.

So maybe there was one more thing. It didn't dawn on him exactly how hungry he really was until something shifted on the cart, and a tantalizing scent reached his nose causing his stomach to growl loudly, much to his chagrin.

o - o

"Eat what you want," Axel said, his tone perhaps more curt than Zexion deserved. He was still irritated by the conversation with his sister from moments before. Bringing up Tonio and his sexual preferences all in one conversation — Tifa certainly knew how to hit a nerve with him and right now Axel despised her for it.

He removed one of the silver platter tops, pulling it away as tendrils of aromatic steam floated upward. Grabbing one of the provided plates, Axel forked some bacon onto his plate, them headed for a poached egg. There were other options on the cart, as well. Pancakes and french toast. Assorted meats. Cereal. Milk. He reached for a small cup of expresso and downed it in one easy swig, much like the shots he'd had the night of their first meeting. He needed all the extra kick he could get right now.

Axel motioned to a nearby chair, inviting Zexion to sit as he did the same nearby, a piece of bacon already bit off and into his mouth. Apparently this day wasn't going to afford him as much free time as he'd hoped.

His cell phone lit up, its screen showing an image of Tifa smiling alluringly. The vibrating sound shook the table and his nerves in a jarring sense, and Axel was quick to reach for it, declining to take the call.

"Fucking woman," he practically growled. She couldn't take a hint, even if he'd practically spelled it right out to her that he wasn't in the mood to talk.

It was at that moment that Axel looked up and noticed Zexion staring, food untouched. He returned Zexion's stare with a level gaze, eyebrows raised slightly, expression a mixture of exasperation and mild curiosity.

"Is the food not to your liking?" he asked, dropping his eyes with purpose to the cart beside their table. "I can make a special request with the cook if you'd prefer something else."

His voice was polite, but there was an underlying sarcasm to Axel's tone. If Zexion had to work for a living bartending to get through school, Axel doubted his tastes were so highly developed that not one thing he'd ordered with room service would be adequate for a quick breakfast.

It was then that he took a moment to really look Zexion over again, eyes moving from his still damp hair to his face, neck, and lower. His lover was wearing a shirt from the clean clothing pile in Axel's bedroom, and that in itself was enough to make his pants feel a bit restrictive yet again. His shirt, his property, Zexion's body. For once, a maid's slip-up had actually ended with beneficial results for him. If he hadn't still been eating, Axel would've had to restrain himself from grabbing Zexion, from pressing him up against the kitchen counter and fucking him right then and there. Again. Morning sex was always exciting, under the right circumstances.

At the very least, it'd be a distraction from whatever shit Tifa was about to dump on him today.

But Axel remained seated, practicing restraint as he ate his breakfast slowly, eyes all the while never letting their hungry gaze slip from the young man across from him as he waited for a response.

o - o

He waited until Axel started putting food on his plate before looking to see if there was something he wanted. There was definitely more food here than Zexion had ever seen at one time, except maybe at a buffet. So when Axel was done grabbing food, he started lifting lids. Eventually, he settled for scrambled eggs, some sausage patties, a couple of pancakes, and some hash browns. Sitting down with the other man as he was invited to do, he picked up a fork to dig in (he was starving), but hesitated when Axel's cell phone started buzzing on the table.

He probably should have left it at that, but the grumbling from the other man got his attention. Wondering if he had any right to ask the other man anything at all, Zexion hesitated over his food. Of course, that was when those green eyes noticed how he was not eating his food.

Shaking his head immediately, he lifted his fork stabbing some sausage with it to prove his point, but the food didn't quite reach his mouth. "Is… everything alright?"

He wasn't sure if he should be asking or if Axel would want to know that he cared, but the fact was that Zexion did care. So he asked, half without thinking and half sure that he'd just crossed some kind of line as he uttered the question.

o - o

Axel wasn't used to people taking any interest in his personal life outside of the occasional nosy journalist or, even more infrequently, the police. It was the fangirls and gold diggers he found insufferable. Zexion didn't strike him as either. In fact, it was quite the opposite with the college student; he actually seemed to care.

It was hard for Axel to know what to think about that.

He simply shrugged in response. "Family business, that's all," he said. Grabbing another sausage link, he continued to eye Zexion with barely concealed lust as he popped it into his mouth and slowly chewed. If Tifa hadn't sounded so fucking insistent, he might have considered the idea of Zexion having an extended stay in his penthouse.

Instead, he merely kept his gaze trained on Zexion, watching as the young man again seemed to hesitate with his food. Just what exactly was he looking at? Or thinking for that matter? Axel couldn't believe he actually cared.

He stood then, bare chest facing Zexion unconcernedly as he leaned his hands straight-armed on the table in front of Zexion. "If you ever manage to finish, I can show you some of my collections," he said, a suggestive look in his eyes.

Then he pushed away, standing at his full height, arms crossed leisurely over his chest before he leaned back against the kitchen counter, expression still welcoming in a flirty, self-important sort of way. "Unless you have class to get to or have other more important plans, that is."

o - o

Zexion listened to Axel's response, aware that he was getting as watered down an explanation as the taller man could give him without outright denying him information. That was fine, of course. He was pretty sure that he didn't have much of a right to ask the other man questions, anyways. He just… well, he wanted to help if he could. Stupid, really.

At Axel's question, he merely shook his head, stomach doing far too many flip-flopping over the way those green eyes stared at him, and … suggested. Glancing back down at his plate, he decided that he needed to concentrate on the food only for just long enough to eat something. He was pretty hungry, or he might have just pushed the food aside and let the red haired man lead him wherever it was he wanted Zexion to follow. So he ate quickly, trying not to think about those eyes watching him, or the bare chest that he wanted to run his hands up leaning just a few feet away from where he sat.

When he finished, and he managed the task more quickly than usual, he pushed his plate aside, and glanced up at Axel expectantly before slowly rising from his seat. He honestly couldn't remember at that moment if he had class or not, but he couldn't make himself care just then. If he missed one, it would be the first, and he could easily make the work up.

The part of him that managed to remain logical no matter the situation wondered if he should go put the rest of his clothes on, forcing Zexion to tear his eyes away from Axel and glance in the direction of the bedroom. However, the greater part of his mind was too distracted to think that idea through.

"You… said you collect weapons," he finally managed to ask. "Last night, I mean. Do you still have time to show them to me?"

o - o

Still watching Zexion with that easy indifference, Axel nodded at his question. "I do, on both counts."

He used slight momentum to propel himself away from the counter, arms still crossed. Then, drawing a lazy hand through his somewhat matted spiked hair, Axel nodded toward the great room, indicating Zexion should follow.

They entered the room nearly together, Axel's slow, steady pace punctuated by Zexion's shorter, more rapid footsteps. Overhead, a skylight shown down into the room, illuminating the stark white walls in vividly bright light. Along each wall hung several glass cases, each containing a different weapon, accentuated by rich, red velvet from behind.

Axel stopped them at the first case on his right. "A medieval Italian 4 ring rapier," he recited. He knew all of his weapons by heart. This one was a sword to a lay person's eye, but he knew the terms down to their finest details. The rapier hung lengthwise, hilt on top so its fine metalwork could be admired. The intricate rings curved around and around, eventually forming the base that led downward toward the actual blade.

Moving on, Axel noted Zexion had remained where he stood, still staring at the rapier with academic scrutiny. Not at all harshly, Axel grabbed onto the man's upper arm. "Come on," he said. "Lots to see. Little time." He pulled Zexion around the room, intoning different weapon names and supplement descriptions as he went as easily as someone else would be able to recite the alphabet.

It was only when they came to a case that was center, on its own small wall across the room, that Axel really stopped his recitations to gaze appreciatively at the circular objects that could just as easily be called works of art instead of practical creations themselves.

Harsh, light silver stared back at them, with blood red accents. Zexion seemed to be just as awestruck as Axel generally was with the pair. Never taking his eyes off them himself, Axel moved behind Zexion, leaning down until his lips were near the man's right ear.

"Chakrams," he breathed, softly caressing the word with his own voice. "Not relics. I had them specially made. I have a more practical pair I train with too."

Indeed, it was one of the few activities that was purely his to enjoy, outside of his family's needs and demands. Martial arts training with chakrams. More than once Axel had entirely torn the dummy stands he worked with to shreds during training. An even smaller set remained on him at all times, hidden in a tiny leather case usually within the pocket of his jeans. They weren't deadly in most instances, but they were sharp, could split human flesh simply by holding them incorrectly. His favorite.

Still remaining close to Zexion's ear, Axel snaked a hand around his waist from behind, letting his fingers linger a little where Zexion's waistband would be. "What do you think, Zexion," he asked, voice still low, almost breathless. "Do you like my collection?"

o - o

Zexion couldn't help the shudder that ran down his spine at the sudden contact, one hand grasping the wrist that had been wound around his waist, half holding it there and half wanting to verify that it was there to begin with. He'd forgotten how impressed he'd been with the historical objects in the room, forgotten how excited he'd felt at finding something a little bit in common with this man, and remembered one too many details from the night before in that moment.

"Uh huh," slipped helplessly from between Zexion's lips, the only answer he could manage just then as his breath had caught in his throat some seconds before and had yet to fully release, again.

He liked… he liked… he forgot what he liked about anything other than those hands and that mouth impossibly close to his body, and acting like _maybe_ Zexion wasn't the only one who wanted in this grouping. Maybe Axel wanted, too. He wouldn't let himself get too hopeful, of course, but a little bit couldn't hurt, could it?

Wanting a little more than just feeling like this, Zexion turned his head to get a better look at those green eyes, trying to gauge their intentions before leaning closer towards them. He didn't lean all the way right off, however. First, he wanted to see how Axel was reacting to his sudden closeness, make sure he wasn't going to be rejected if he closed that remaining distance and kissed the taller man just then. A quick glance… he really, really wanted to.

o - o

Zexion's return touch shot a flutter of excitement through Axel's stomach.

_Turn yourself around. Slide my hand lower_, his thoughts dared Zexion. _Start something for yourself for once._

But Zexion hesitated again. He always hesitated. If he hadn't been so reserved, Axel would have pinned him as a downright tease.

No matter. Tifa and her bullshit could wait. Axel had lips to taste, skin to rake his nails across.

_Roxas to forget…_

Slowly, Axel used Zexion's grip on his wrist to turn the shorter man around. For a moment, he simply looked, green eyes watching for a reaction, for a sign that would indicate Zexion wanted something similar.

Apparently satisfied with what he saw, Axel leaned down, capturing Zexion's lips with his own. His kisses were never gentle, but this one couldn't be said to be hard either the way he caressed the lips of the other. Zexion tasted sweetly of syrup and breakfast meat, Axel noted. It certainly wasn't an unpleasant taste by any means.

The grip on his wrist seemed to tighten, and Axel smiled into the kiss, enjoying the feeling of having his arm pinned, even if it was only inadvertent on Zexion's part. With his other hand now at the small of Zexion's back, Axel pulled the young man closer.

Unlike last night though, he didn't lead, didn't issue any commands. For once, Axel was curious about the other man's reactions and desires. He made the kiss heated but didn't quicken his pace or increase the pressure between their lips. Or even open his mouth.

This was new for him, not immediately leading an encounter. And he couldn't say that he would let it continue for very long at all. For now though, Zexion was in charge, if he wanted to do anything at all.


	5. Call It What You Want II

**A/N**: Thanks very much to my first reviewer for this fic, **TheMissingStripes**. You made my day with your kind words. Seriously.

Nothing much else to report, really. I finished up my night class, so let's pretend I'm a real web developer now, and I'm just stalling on packing for my ski trip. Just as a heads up, I'm deliberately spacing out updates a bit on this story, as well as on Truth or Dare, while I work to finish up two stories on my individual/personal FFN account (Bereaved, which is almost done, and Holier Than Thou), the purpose being because I don't want to run out of content here and then keep people (or the 3 who actually read this, anyway) waiting weeks or months for another update that I have to build from scratch. I want to say I'll be able to post another chapter next week, but my boyfriend (who's already at the resort) has informed me the wifi at the home we're renting apparently blows more than Zexion with Ax-...er, never mind. I'll see what I can do. If not, don't fret. I'll be back after my trip. I also have a wifi hotspot for work, so I might be able to sneak on to post with that. Encourage me with reviews, please?

This section's straight-up smut. Er, fair warning? E ci vediamo, lettori!

* * *

Zexion couldn't really stop himself just then. He wanted Axel, and Axel was moving slowly. One hand slipping up behind the taller man's neck, he pulled those lips closer, pressing hard against them. A small hesitation afterwards where he almost thought about his next move before deciding to shut his brain off, and slip his tongue forward. The red head would stop him if he didn't like where this was going, he was sure, so why did he need to second-guess everything he was doing all the time? At least, that logic worked now, while he was feeling this way, and being kissed like this.

So he pressed forward, using both hands to pull Axel closer against him, which was a cue he took from the other man's hand at his lower back as it pulled Zexion closer. His whole body seemed to press against the taller, overheated body in front of him of its own accord, and a tiny noise escaped his throat that might have been a moan or a groan and was immediately absorbed by Axel's mouth.

What was he allowed to do? He wasn't actually sure, but it didn't take long before one hand released the wrist it had been holding and promptly slid up the bare torso in front of him, exploring. This was turning out to be a very good morning, and a good time to shut his mind off, as best he knew how, and just play… for as long as that part of his logic held.

o - o

Axel had often heard that sex was supposed to be a mutual experience for both parties involved. It'd never been for him though. There was always simply a part of himself he wouldn't allow to relax, that wouldn't agree to relinquish control.

It was perhaps true to form then that, the moment Zexion released his wrist, Axel pressed back, forcing Zexion against the wall next to the chakram display, Zexion's hand becoming momentarily trapped between both of their bodies.

And then Axel slowed again, his own hands pinning Zexion's shoulders to the wall but not fully restricting the man's ability to use his arms as he wanted. Mouths still pressed together, Axel kept the pace of his tongue slow but suggestive, using it in Zexion's mouth as an example of what he was capable of elsewhere, if he so chose. He felt the man moan into his own mouth but didn't increase the speed of their contact. Perhaps it was simple curiosity on his part as to what Zexion would do given the opportunity. Perhaps he was thinking of Roxas and wondering if this was how it would've been for them…if they'd ever gotten the chance to…

Axel's eyes shot open then, a sharp but wholly visceral pain hitting him deep in his stomach. Zexion's sleep and shower-mussed hair grounded him though, reminded him of who he was with, of who actually wanted him here and now. That person's name didn't start with an R.

Slowly Axel moved closer to Zexion, dropping his hands to the small of the man's waist at the sides, still pressing him against the wall. Out of the corner of his eye he could see light reflecting in dangerously tantalizing glints off the stark silver of his chakrams. Their reflection left a sharp but interesting pattern across Zexion's face.

Now it was Axel who wanted. Their hips came into contact, and Axel rubbed himself against Zexion, feeling his pants begin to tighten once more. Self-control was the only thing that kept him from taking the man now. Self-control and something peculiar, unfamiliar. Something that had to do with a name that started with R, perhaps, although Axel would never allow himself to admit to that. Never.

o - o

A moan definitely made its way out of Zexion's mouth when Axel's hips pressed into his. There was not enough fabric separating the boxers he was wearing from the pants the taller man had wrapped around his hips. A small part of his mind tried to get his attention, tried to remind him that Axel was supposed to work harder for those moans, but there were just too many sensations just then for that to bother him.

Something else did get his attention, though. A sort of soreness in his lower back from the night before that reminded him to be careful… he didn't want to hurt himself. The problem with that mental reminder was that Zexion was completely new at this, and didn't quite know what his limits really were. What he did know was that he wanted Axel fiercely just then.

His body automatically followed that instead of the warning, telling him over and over that he was fine, it was fine, just…this… nnng.

Today he felt strangely powerful. He was someone who Axel wanted, and not just once but twice and possibly… more. He felt one of his hands tangle in red hair, pulling and pressing the taller man's face against his, enjoying the things that were being done to his tongue, and inexperience though he was trying to suggest things with his own tongue to the other man. He would learn fast if given the opportunity to do so, which he wanted desperately. The other hand alternated between pulling Axel's hips against his own, and scratching the skin there when the pressure began to drive him crazy.

It wasn't long before both of his hands slid down the taller man's torso, feeling and exploring while heading towards a button to get rid of this cumbersome fabric that was so in the way, at the moment. He wanted Axel's pants off now, so he went for them.

Not overthinking was really helping him today, which was a thought he barely registered, determined as he was to keep his brain firmly in the 'off' position. No more freaking out about whether or not he was doing it right, he could panic later about whatever he thought he screwed up. Now, he wanted to enjoy this.

o - o

He was being clawed, kissed, wanted. This was more like it, more what Axel was curious whether Zexion would actually have initiated on his own.

The tug at his pants made Axel inwardly grin, and he was only too happy to comply in helping remove the burdensome jeans, pausing in his own returned affections only so long as to step out of and kick them aside. His boxer briefs, though they remained on for the time being, did not hide the outline of the well-defined erection beneath their fabric.

His grinding became gentler from that point forward, aware that less fabric separated the two of them now. Feeling Zexion's arousal so definitively up against his own made Axel want to hurry, to push Zexion onto his hands and knees in front of a nearby couch only a few paces away. Zexion would undoubtedly be sore; the moans would be delicious. But a part of Axel told him to wait. A curious part told him to see what Zexion would do.

What would Roxas have done, Axel wondered, if in the same situation? Perhaps it only hurt to speculate, but it was enticing to consider nevertheless. Axel suspected he would submit about as easily as Zexion. But then Axel hadn't expected Roxas to leave. It wasn't in his original profile of the blond boy who'd seemed, while somewhat careful and hesitant around him, to have a bit of underlying spark to his personality.

Some part of Zexion brushed him in just the right way, and it was Axel's turn to let out a prolonged groan, his cock twitching a little as it hardened further beneath him. The longer he delayed, the more he wanted the man in front of him too. If Zexion didn't act soon, Axel knew it wouldn't be long until he was back to leading, back to dominating.

With one, frustrated and deep grind directly against Zexion's lap, Axel pulled his mouth away, lips hovering back around the young man's ear. "Bedroom," he whispered. For once, it was more of a question than command.

o - o

Zexion wasn't sure he'd ever experienced a moment in his life where things just weren't happening fast enough, while at the same time happening far, far too fast. There was in no way anything going on that he didn't want, of course, he just wanted to remember it all; every moment needed to be crystal clear. At the rate things were happening now though, he'd be lucky to remember the order in which they happened.

Still, when Axel's pants were off, and he was exploring, hands touching everything but as gently as possible to keep things slower, if not genuinely slow. Naturally, he could only be as gentle as his willpower allowed, and that wasn't always very gentle at all. Every time Axel pressed against something sensitive, Zexion felt himself claw, grip, or pull; definitely not in a gentle way.

So it was when Axel let out a low sound from somewhere deep in his throat that Zexion damn near pushed him back towards a couch he was pretty sure he remembered seeing in this room just so he could straddle the man and make more of those noises come from that delicious mouth.

He felt other hands exploring him, and it almost made him desperate. So when the word 'bedroom' was mentioned, his response was a half-moaned, half-gasped 'Yes!' He wasn't sure if the word was meant as an answer or a statement at that moment, but it seemed appropriate, either way. However, in this one instance, though he wanted to slow things down a bit, memorize everything, Axel didn't seem to move fast enough for him.

That was how Zexion ended up pulling the taller man back in the direction of his room. Not that it would take long for Axel to out-stride him if he preferred to lead, but the shorter man was beginning to feel impatient. He wanted so, so badly in that moment that he might have even tied the taller man down if he knew where to find some rope, just so he could do what he wanted at his own pace; no teasing or pausing or leaving.

From there they would see. Zexion had the idea in his head of straddling Axel, and if the other man allowed it… well, his nerves were practically nonexistent just then simply due to how aroused he was. If the red head didn't hurry, Zexion felt like he just might rip the taller man's boxers clean off of him… if he was strong enough for something like that, which he really doubted given how much his hands were trembling right now. Still…

o - o

Axel had been with plenty of men who liked to play it rough before. He'd never let them without a considerable fight. He'd been bitten, scratched, bleeding at the hands of other men, but he'd always still been in control. He had every confidence that this was the case with Zexion too.

In fact, compared to other similar encounters, Zexion's roughness was tame. Just enough to drive Axel a little wild, as a matter of fact. He felt more than saw himself being pulled back towards his bedroom and he was only too happy to be led. As long as he had a general idea what to expect, Axel was amenable.

The room was still in disarray from their last foray the prior evening and it induced a bit of a smirk at the corners of Axel's mouth. He'd fucked Zexion pretty hard there last night and could almost just conjure up the idea of the blue-haired man on his hands and knees taking him in full again. Axel stole a quick glance at Zexion and wondered if the man was having similar thoughts.

A moment later though, he was pushing Zexion down onto the bed, onto his back. The man's boxers were ballooning up slightly from his erection and Axel eyed it almost hungrily for a long pause. With the frenzied actions of the night before, he hadn't had time to properly appreciate it. Perhaps that would change now.

He moved around to the front of the bed, near Zexion's head, and slid onto the mattress himself, stomach first so his face was level with Zexion's lap, backside by Zexion's face, as he took in the man's aroused scent with relish.

"Looks like someone wants to be pounded again," he quipped, though Axel had no real intention of fucking Zexion that way again, at least not this morning. The man had been tight enough the night before and Axel had a sneaking suspicion Zexion wasn't one who liked severe pain during sex.

Tracing one finger gently over the outline of Zexion's cock, Axel felt a twinge in his own, pressed into the bed's mattress and his lower stomach, both. He wouldn't be able to hold the position long, but he wasn't about to get on his hands and knees either. That wasn't a position he would accept, no matter how aroused he was. But if Zexion wanted to take control, Axel couldn't truly say that he'd be entirely against it, depending on what was done.

With one backwards glance at Zexion, Axel lowered his face into the bartender's lap, and began slowly, almost labouriously kissing the man's erection, from tip to base through the fabric of his boxers.

o - o

Slowing down was not what Zexion had expected when they got back to the bedroom. No, he'd actually expected things to speed up, to get frantic, and he was kind of going a little crazy from waiting. Axel, however, seemed not to mind as he stopped them both, pausing to look him over, before crawling onto the other side of the bed. Blue eyes followed the other man's movements, watching as the other man placed his mouth…

That was as far as he got mentally before a gasp ripped itself from his throat, and his hands were clawing at the sheets. Soft was pure torture, and so good. It was very hard to resist the urge to press against the light pressure of Axel's lips, and for the most part he managed it. The action completely distracted him from what he wanted to do, however.

_There was something wasn't… oh god, right there… that I wanted… nnng! I wanted to…_

It didn't take long for Axel to get him to writhe, reaching and grabbing onto whatever skin he could find, though carefully avoiding the fabric the other man still wore so as not to grab onto something sensitive in the wrong way. That's when he remembered his original plan to straddle the red head. It was hard to move when that mouth was so close, and he wanted so badly to feel what those lips felt like around him.

Slowly, because he didn't exactly want Axel to stop, Zexion rolled his body towards the red head, his nose catching a scent on his partner that made his whole body throb with need. Mirroring the red head's agonizingly slow movements, he lifted his head, and essentially copied everything Axel was doing to him, right down to the pace.

Only a few moments of that began to drive him so crazy he wasn't sure he could just lie there anymore. So, without thinking about what he was doing, he pushed Axel over onto his back, lifted himself to his hands and knees, and straddled the red-head's upper body with his legs so that he could more easily get to what he wanted to reach. Then, without removing the underwear completely, he pushed fabric out of his way, before sliding his tongue from the tip of Axel's cock to the very base.

That's what he'd wanted to do last night and felt unsure, but today he was a little less nervous and a little more ready for all of this. He wanted to drive Axel crazy until neither of them could stand it anymore, and he wanted to hear the reactions to his work as he did.

o - o

God, he loved receiving head. There was almost nothing like it in this world at all for Axel. Of course, his preferred position was standing, one hand bracing on a table or bed, while the other rested behind his partner's head, able to press himself deeper down their throat at his own whim.

He couldn't honestly say he'd ever done 69 with anyone before, which perhaps was saying something, considering what other positions he'd given a try at some point or another in his life. The thought had occurred to him that this might happen the moment Zexion started mimicking his tonguing action against his own hard and as yet unreleased cock.

In practice, it felt much better than he'd imagined. And even though he knew full well Zexion was simply copying his own skilled movements, Axel was willing to admit that Zexion was one fantastic cock tease himself.

He wanted to swallow Zexion whole, to stop with the teasing and make him come hard, to hear the younger man scream as he climaxed. Perhaps he would have switched tactics soon enough, if not for the sudden change in their positions. He hadn't even realized he'd been flipped onto his back until he felt Zexion's hot tongue caressing his entire length only a moment after he'd been freed.

The moan that ripped from Axel's lips was almost inhuman in its need. Low and deep, it rose steadily the more Zexion worked at him. And the sight before him wasn't bad either. With a trembling free arm, Axel reached up, his long fingers sliding underneath Zexion's much more accessible boxers. For a moment they rested on his ass, caressing the seam between his legs fleetingly. Then his other hand was into the mix, sliding Zexion's cock out of the opening of his boxers with one hand while the other pressed firmly down on Zexion's backside, lowering the man's body so Axel could reach it with his mouth.

Axel wet his middle finger in his mouth thoroughly, before sliding that hand back into place, slowly up and down between the back of Zexion's legs. He felt a shudder go through Zexion, could see the slit of his cock was already moist with pre-come. Under Zexion's ministrations, his own cock twitched. God, he wanted to release right now, wanted to feel what it was like for Zexion to swallow his entire length as he came long and hard.

He also wanted it to last though, so Axel pushed thoughts of his own pleasure away, if only for the time being, and focused on Zexion. The first touch of his tongue was light, exploratory, as it slid across the head, lapping up pre-come.

Salt. Salt and sweat and all of it Zexion. For once, Axel wasn't thinking about Roxas.

He strained his abdominals in order sit up slightly. A moment later, the entirety of Zexion's head was in his hot, willing mouth. He swirled his tongue lower, petting the underside in firm, even strokes, like he would if it was his hands doing the tightening and pulling and not simply his tongue. Sliding his free hand from Zexion's ass and downward, Axel played with the man's sac a little before returning to his seam.

Slowly, slowly, he teased at Zexion's opening, hinting that he would enter soon, but not yet actually doing so. A moan ripped out of his own throat again as he became aware of just what Zexion was doing to him on the other end. It was a moan filled with longing, one that may even have suggested he was willing to be weak, if only for a little while.

It became too much for Axel, this slow pace. In one expert motion, he was done being slow. In one expert motion, his longest finger entered Zexion, making no effort to hide his purposeful search for his partner's prostate. At the same time, Axel took Zexion's cock down entirely, swallowing hard as its head hit the back of his throat and elicited a small, needy gag on his part.

He pulled out with his finger, moved back with his mouth, then dived with both again, this time tasting the wonderful, musky flavor of arousal and salt to its fullest.

o - o

He had to be careful with his hands now. As soon as he felt Axel's warm, wet mouth around him, Zexion's fingers flexed involuntarily, grasping at the sheets under the hand that was holding him up. Luckily he still had the wherewithal to remember not to grip the red head's erection too tightly as he slid his hand up and down in rhythm with his mouth.

He felt groans and moans slip up his throat in turns with each new sensation that touched his body, fighting to stay upright like this when his body began to tremble. His moans came more frequently now, but he tried to keep up with everything that Axel's mouth was doing to him; matching if he could match and moaning distractedly occasionally before trying to catch up.

Of course, the very moment that the finger that had entered his body found that sensitive spot it was likely looking for, he lost any self-control he might once have been clinging to; feeling the vibration of what would have been a loud moan slide down the skin in his mouth.

Feeling somewhat frantic, he picked up his pace, silently begging for Axel to do the same. He was closer than he'd like after all of that teasing, but the tensing in the body beneath him made it seem very much like he wasn't alone in this. He was so close he could feel his body's anticipation, but he held on a little longer. Zexion was enjoying this far, far too much to just release now.

As gently as he was able, he slid his teeth against the sensitive skin of Axel's cock, before taking as much of the man into his mouth as he could manage, and alternating between sucking and swallowing. He'd stopped worrying about whether or not he was doing anything right, and concentrated on wanting. Right now, for example, he wanted to taste as much of Axel as he was able, so he swallowed again, before pulling up just slightly, and sliding back down to repeat what he was doing.

It was hard to concentrate, but he assumed he was doing something right because the vibrations sliding along his own body from his partner's occasional moans were killing his self-control. Then Axel found that spot inside his body, again, and white spots filled Zexion's vision as his whole body tensed to release.

o - o

Axel could tell that Zexion was close. Just the same, he hadn't quite expected his climax exactly when it actually did end up happening. Last night, Zexion had been loud. Last night, Zexion had been practically screaming by the time Axel came into him.

It wasn't that Zexion hadn't been moaning. He'd simply gone quiet before his release this time so it perhaps made sense that Axel hadn't been able to anticipate it. The first stream was messy, only half of it reaching Axel's mouth as the rest hit the side of his face. He was better prepared for the second release.

And god, it tasted divine, Zexion's come. There was salt, yes, but also a hint of sweetness Axel had never experienced before while being with another man in this way. After the first near miss, he eagerly wrapped his lips around Zexion again, as deeply as he could handle during the man's climax. And swallowed and swallowed and swallowed.

The last shuddering stream elicited a vibrating moan from Zexion against the sensitive skin of Axel's own erection, which was when Axel himself came, his head and shoulders thrown back against the bed in a silent, pleasurable cry of his own. He could feel the back of Zexion's throat tightening against the head of his cock as he released, making the orgasm all the more intense as a result.

And then it was over, orgasms gone, leaving two exhausted, sweaty men to collapse on one another. Axel felt Zexion realign himself, scooting almost hesitantly right side up this time toward Axel. The red haired man took a moment to wipe the remnants Zexion's first release off of his cheek, lapping the salty-sweet flavor from his fingers appreciatively. Then, almost automatically, his arms were open, pulling Zexion toward him, resting his head on his shoulder.

Fuck responsibilities today, Axel thought as he felt himself drifting comfortably into unconsciousness. For once, he had something more important to do, and someone more important to do it with.


	6. Strange Encounters

_Love, lust, infatuation, whatever it is… sucks. It's not as though I asked to fall for someone I know damn well is no good for me. I didn't choose this. So why is it demanding my attention so thoroughly? _

_I had to move back into the dorms last weekend because I couldn't miss any more school due to my commute and oversleeping. So now I'm back, no longer that safe hour and a half's drive from the town Axel lives in, and I feel compelled to go see him, to call him, and yet I can't make myself do it. Is it unfair to blame him for what happened to Ventus? Maybe, but that doesn't mean that he wasn't in some way responsible, or wouldn't have been with just a slight turn of events. How should I feel about someone who does this to other guys like my brother; like me? I shouldn't fucking want to call him, that's for sure! _

_Today my guidance counselor asked me if I needed to schedule an appointment with someone just to 'talk,' and I almost took her up on the offer. Then again, what would I say? 'Hi, my name is Roxas, and I'm in love with Axel Damato.' He's a well-known guy around these parts, who the fuck isn't in love with him for his damned money or his name. And then they would say that it was all perfectly natural- to fall for a celebrity- and that it would pass. Will it, though? Because to me, he's not just some damned celebrity, rich kid. He's the guy I began to date, fall for, and then ran away from when I saw the danger I put people close to me in just by being around him. _

_Ventus, I'm so sorry. _

_Not that my brother listens. It's never my fault, that's what he says. Well, goddamn who is to blame, then? If I hadn't… well, it doesn't matter now. Now it's time to act, right? I want to see Axel, but I don't at the same time. I want to trust him, but I know better. Here's my problem: how do I decide?_

o - o

_I might have woken up in the middle of the night last night, and the night before that. Actually, I should probably cut the crap and just put that I've been doing this a lot lately. Every time I wake up, I've been dreaming about him. _

_This whole situation is just frustrating. Logically, I know he's not good for me. I even tried flirting with a few other guys at school to get him off of my mind. All this shit I'm going through is beyond any sort of sense, though. I think these damned journal entries demonstrate that well enough if nothing else does. _

_I miss Axel. _

_I've been thinking of stopping by his place again, just to see how he's doing even if I don't actually talk to him. Has he replaced me yet, or is he pining away alone the way I've been. I'm afraid I already know the answer, but is it bad of me to want to see for myself? It wouldn't exactly be spying, you know. I'd just be scoping things out. Everyone in the fucking city knows that he'd probably do the same thing; though I'm sure there are quite a few things that they don't know, too. _

_I wonder if I should._

o - o

Hart's club and bar was just about one of the last places on Earth Axel wanted to be right now. And it was definitely the absolute last place on his list if Zexion happened to be working tonight.

His group had walked in as if they owned the place, Axel taking up the rear with his sister Tifa, their arms wrapped around one another comfortably as though they were each other's date for the evening. In front, Xigbar Tonio and a man Axel knew only as Saix walked side by side in silence.

It had been Tonio's idea to meet at this bar, and on any other day Axel would have refused. Without question. But the news Tifa had tried to convey to him now almost two weeks ago had indeed been shitty and it was why he had to bite his tongue now, without protesting.

He hadn't meant to glance over toward the bar, hadn't wanted to check for Zexion's presence. Just the same, Axel found him gaze wandering to the left. And sure enough, Zexion was there, shot glass and towel in hand, drying the small cylindrical container and placing it with the others in a neat row on the counter in front of him.

Their eyes met a moment later, Zexion's registering obvious surprise, while Axel's was more level and stoic. It was Axel who ended up looking away first.

"This place is such a dive," Tifa whispered suddenly next to him. Her mouth was close to her brother's ear in order to speak more privately.

Axel didn't respond, instead merely keeping his head ducked down and following the other two men to their table of choice in the quietest corner they could find.

On a Friday night, the bar was noisy and densely packed, although it was still early enough to find an open table. Still early enough to hear his colleagues without the need to shout or, alternatively, the worry of being overheard.

The thought of referring to Tonio as a colleague, as perhaps even a superior on this one particular assignment, made Axel's stomach turn. The man hadn't deserved a second chance after fucking up his last assignment and costing Axel's family so much money. He should've had his balls cut off, in Axel's honest opinion. But Tonio had his and Tifa's father somehow completely snowed over. And now they had to work together on this huge drug deal, and it made Axel half want to tear his spiked hair straight out. It made him want to burn something. Or someone.

"Drinks, Mr. Damato, if you will."

At first, Axel didn't register that he was being spoken to. In fact, he might have just ignored Tonio completely if not for his sister's sharp jab to his rib cage, roughly grabbing his unwilling attention.

Axel focused on Tonio, his green eyes narrowed. "What?" he demanded, his tone curt, teeth gritted.

Taking a seat, Tonio regarded Axel with a calm sense of superiority. "I said," Tonio started, very obviously relishing his role as leader during the present meeting, "if you would be so kind as to grab us drinks, I'd like the darkest beer they have on tap."

Axel bristled. "I'm not a server, Xigbar," he said pointedly, jaw tense as his eyes flashed a challenge. Out of the corner one eye, he saw his sister shake her head in warning.

"Obviously," Tonio responded in a smooth, patronizing tone. "But you are only one of two still standing, and I figured you wouldn't want to make your sister become a waitress for the night."

Before Axel could respond, Tonio turned to the man at his side. It was the first time Axel had had the opportunity to see him head on. The scar across his face was gruesome, even by Axel's standards, made him uncomfortable to look at for any great length of time. For a moment, Axel wondered if his own smaller facial tattoos had the same effect on people.

"Saix?" Tonio said, his voice raising upward in the form of a question.

The long haired man's expression betrayed none of his thoughts on the exchange that had just taken place.

"Scotch, please," he said, tone as neutral as his features. Axel immediately decided he liked this man far more than Tonio. At least he seemed to have some integrity.

Axel turned toward his sister, expression tight, words underlying sarcasm.

"Tifa? You want something too, bella?"

She shot him a half-hearted glare. "Rum and coke." Her words were curt. "But I'm coming with you. You won't be able to carry four drinks back on your own anyway."

The way he was currently feeling, Axel wasn't actually sure he wanted to drink, personally, but he said nothing as Tifa swung round, arm wrapped around his waist as she pulled him toward the bar.

It'd figure the other bartenders were already dealing with customers, he thought as they approached Zexion. The slate-haired man was staring at him blatantly. Axel knew if there was anyone he could trust with Zexion's identity, it was Tifa. At the same time, he knew that revealing anything at all created liabilities. Best to ignore Zexion entirely, treat him like the bartender he was. If there was no reason to expect Axel cared anything for him, people like Tonio couldn't use Zexion against him for their own personal gains down the line.

Maybe it would have been prudent to have given Zexion some sort of background on the Damato family and Axel's role in it, he thought. He'd done it with Roxas, hadn't he? But there was no way to warn Zexion now about the need for discretion in their public dealings or that acting too friendly with a Damato in the company of his father's employees could be dangerous, so Axel just had to hope. And, for some reason, silently apologize for the way Zexion was likely about to be treated.

"Go on then," Tifa said, speaking Italian, hardly giving the bartender in front of them a passing glance. "Let's get this over with and order, brother."

So, aloof expression gracing his own features, Axel looked up too and, without so much as a single word of greeting, he began to recite the group's order.

o - o

Zexion had been feeling pretty high up lately, as though a cloud had reached down and scooped him up. No, that was a silly analogy. He felt as though… well, it was definitely not something he had experienced often before now, so it was hard to describe, and anyway he wasn't really the descriptive type unless he was describing the results of an experiment in very complicated technical terms.

So when he saw Axel walk into the bar that night with a small group of friends, he had been pleasantly surprised to see him. Then, he'd had to wonder who these people were that the tall red head seemed so stoic around them, almost as though he didn't even recognize Zexion or anything else about the location. And then he wondered who that woman was who continually wrapped her arm around that long thin torso that he'd spend night after night dreaming about running his hands over. And finally, here the two stood before him, acting as though he was nothing at all except the bartender of a dive.

When those green eyes met his and began to order without so much as a 'hello' a pang went through his middle, something painful, and he caught himself staring for a beat before he could make himself move. He kept his head down, trying to hide the way he felt from the other man, all the while wondering what he could possibly have done to get back on the man's bad side. Hadn't they been pretty friendly, lately, with Axel calling him whenever he had a free night and Zexion running whenever he got done with whatever it was that he had to finish first; it had seemed like they were beginning a relationship. This was something else entirely, and he had to wonder… was he being scorned?

A hand on his wrist made him jump, and he turned to find Demyx staring at him. "What," he snapped at the blond. "Do you mind? I have a customer." The other man stepped back, but took the alcohol Zexion had just been about to pour into the mixer, and exchanged it for the right one before Zexion could say anything else. A blush crept up his face, and he thanked any and all higher powers that he'd done this part of the mixing with his back to the other two.

As soon as he was finished, he turned to place each glass at the bar, pouring the drinks for both of the tall customers to see. He couldn't look at them, but his eyes still caught the way the woman's arm was wrapped around Axel's waist… still. Forcing his hands to stillness, he pressed the drinks toward them, gave their total, and waited patiently for the response or payment.

o - o

It could be said that many of the bartenders at Hart's were complete tools. Demyx himself might be included in that list, just not when he was the one keeping count. There were the flirts, the hipsters, the ones just doing it for the tips. All tools, for the most part.

Zexion wasn't though. At least, not from where Demyx was standing.

Studious and quiet, Zexion was respectful, always on time and rarely one to ask for schedule changes. In fact, the only time he'd ever even left early, he'd been sure to verify that Demyx was prepared to cover for him.

As a full-time bartender who actually rather liked his job, Demyx could respect that, particularly because he knew this wasn't a career choice for Zexion, just a way to earn a little extra money while studying for something better.

It was strange, then, for the younger man to get snappy at him. Perhaps he shouldn't have grabbed the other's wrist, Demyx conceded. Perhaps he'd crossed a line he shouldn't have. But Zexion never made mistakes with drinks, and the thing he was about to concoct wasn't even close to what he'd heard the couple at the bar order at all.

Without a word, Demyx had swapped out the bottle with the one the customer had actually ordered. It was a discreet motion, not meant to attract attention. If it had been anyone other than Zexion, they'd have gotten a comment though, perhaps even a publicly verbal lashing. Demyx had worked here for over five years now. Think again if you thought he didn't know his drinks. That was about as far from the truth as possible.

The male customer moved to pay. It was the first moment Demyx had had the opportunity to get a good look at the man and realize he recognized him.

Axel Damato. At Hart's? It wasn't exactly the epitome of a classy establishment. And that meant only one thing to Demyx.

It took a moment to recognize the girl by his side. For siblings, they didn't look much alike, although that may simply have been a result of the man's sharp features, outlandish hair color, and suggestive facial tattoos. In comparison, Tifa Damato was put-together, could have been any nine to five business professional out on a date, if not for her surname. If only.

To many within their small town community, the Damatos were celebrities. To Demyx, their appearance implied the presence of drugs. Sometimes violence.

He lowered his eyes, made his expression blank. The Damatos weren't known to start trouble themselves, especially where it could be made public. Especially not if it involved a member of their direct family. No, they probably left that up to their hired hands. Like the ones at the table near the corner…

"Cheers," the man said, his voice level, though almost sarcastic as he removed some bills and slid them across the bar counter toward Zexion. "Keep the change," he called as he reached for two of the drinks, his sister following suit by his side. Then they were gone, heading back to their table, and Demyx had a moment to regard Zexion more fully.

"Not every day you get a local celebrity in here, eh, Zex," he said cheerfully, trying to lighten the mood.

The boy looked stunned though, which Demyx found a bit peculiar, considering he was almost certain Axel had been in the bar before during one of Zexion's shifts. In fact, hadn't he been the reason…

Ohh.

With dawning realization, Demyx fit the pieces together as much as he was able. It was very possible Axel Damato was a discreet man, but Zexion's expression now said more than even a verbal expression ever could.

Should he say something to the younger man? If so, what?

Figuring it was none of his business, Demyx erred on the side of caution and kept quiet.

Just as well, for at that moment another customer entered his line of vision, making straight for the far side of the bar counter, the one most hidden by shadows and furthest from the bar's entrance.

"I'll get that one," he said to Zexion, the only form of comfort he knew how to give. From what he could tell, Zexion didn't respond, and Demyx was moving away, eyes fixed on his next potential customer.

It took him a moment to recognize the boy in the darkness, but the moment Demyx was in front of him, the face registered. Although Demyx didn't know his name offhand, he never forgot a face, and took special care to remember those of the bar's patrons who, while over 18, were still under the legal drinking age of 21. This one had never given him trouble in the past, at least, which was more than he could say for other university students who visited the establishment. He remembered that much.

"Hey there," he shot the blond a friendly smile. "Haven't seen you in awhile. What'll it be tonight?"

o - o

Roxas hadn't intended to stay for long. He hadn't intended to do anything other than check to see if Axel was in the bar, have a drink or two, hang around for a bit to see if the tall red-head showed up, and then leave. They needed to talk, and he needed to see where they stood before making any rash decisions on his own. Of course, he'd already done that…

When he saw Axel side-by-side with his sister, however, Roxas ducked out of sight into the bathroom to make sure no one saw him. After a few minutes hidden away in one of the foul smelling stalls, he decided it was probably safe to sneak back out and see where the group chose to sit.

It wasn't as though seeing those green eyes was going to be easy that first time back, he knew that, but there was a certain time and a certain place. In the company Axel was currently in, no time or place was appropriate for him to show his face again. He might not have been happy with the taller man just then, but that was no reason to mess anything up for him. What if something slipped, or if one of them did? No, too risky.

So he waited until Axel was seated at the able facing away from him before slipping back out and sitting at the darkest end of the bar where he could see what happened without really being seen. Of course, the bartenders saw everything, and the blond one most of all, it seemed. So it only made sense that he would get approached for a drink.

"Hey. A coke with lime, please, and no ice," he answered easily enough, while still trying to keep his voice low enough so as not to draw any extra attention.

He knew these guys fairly well for people whose names he didn't really know, and so it was a comfort to him to have them here. As the blond bartender nodded and moved to prepare his drink, Roxas let his eyes take in the face of the other bartender almost fondly. That was the cute one with the blue hair he had been flirting with before meeting Axel, though it'd never gone anywhere since the quieter of the two bartenders had always seemed completely oblivious to any advances Roxas made at him. It had been quite a while back, but he definitely remembered that face, though not the defeated look it currently held.

When the blond came back with his drink and his bill, Roxas couldn't help the question that slipped out of his mouth as he indicated the blue haired bartender with his chin. "Is he alright?"

o - o

As expected, the college student ordered a soda. At least some kids were reliable and responsible nowadays, Demyx thought. Just not many, considering how many times he'd had to call one out on a blatantly fake ID. "Sure thing," Demyx said, before turning to grab one of the larger glasses, his own form of reward for not thinking he was born yesterday (higher potential for extra cavities though, alas).

And ahh, right. This was the one who preferred no ice in his drinks. Economical, that. He remembered now. He turned back to the boy, filling the drink with liquid from his soda tap and topping it off with a spritz from a cut of lime as he listened to the boy's question. It was part of his job, to listen to his customers, and it was one thing Demyx did pretty well.

He turned to follow the blond's gaze back to Zexion on the other end of the bar.

"I'm sure he'll be fine," Demyx replied, his voice nonchalant. "I think it's just boyfriend troubles. You know how it goes."

Demyx did, at least when it came to women. He'd never been with a man, although he wasn't entirely opposed to the idea. Even so, he figured relationship problems were pretty uniform between genders, regardless of sexual preference, and it was the lightest way he knew how to respond to his customer, while also being respectful of Zexion and not revealing too many details he wasn't sure the college student would be comfortable with realizing he knew, let alone sharing them with someone else.

o - o

"Ah," Roxas replied, nodding at the bartender's response. "Thanks," he added, holding up his drink before taking a swallow. He didn't push any currency towards the other man just yet, because he might be hanging out and drinking a few more of these. He wasn't quite sure yet.

Glancing over at the table where he could still see a bright red spiked head, he kept chatting with the bartender. "Busy night," he asked, turning back to scan the bar.

He glanced once more in Axel's direction before returning his gaze to the bar, where he glanced at the blue haired bartender who was also giving the table Roxas had been glancing at some visual attention. He looked back at the man standing in front of him to show he was listening, but found himself glancing at the other bartender more and more. Was he directing that sad, heart-breaking look at Axel's table?

Maybe the guy was into Axel's sister, or one of those other guys sitting at the same table. Roxas would have to make a mental note to talk to the quieter bartender after Axel left, because at the very least he deserved some warning about that crowd.

"I hope your friend'll be alright," he added, turning back to the blond in front of him. "Not the best group in which to find someone attractive is it," he asked rhetorically, nodding towards the Damato's table. Not that he was one to talk, but at least he had a fair idea what he was getting himself into before he'd done it. He wondered if the pale faced guy who served drinks had been given the same idea, or if he'd wandered into that situation blind.

o - o

Demyx shrugged a little in response. "Busy enough for this kind of night. It's still early though." He followed the younger boy's gaze toward the back of the bar, noting approximately where it rested without comment. A vague memory was resurfacing relating to blond hair and red, but he just couldn't put his finger on it. He had a feeling there was more to the boy's question, even if he didn't know entirely why yet.

"The night's still young though," he continued, although by now he couldn't be sure the boy was really listening to him anymore.

Watching the blond carefully, Demyx waited. The easiest way to get people to continue speaking, he knew, was to look interested but remain silent. Good way to get them to buy more drinks than they probably needed, as well. He doubted that would end up working in this instance, where his customer wasn't old enough for alcohol. Still, it was the businessman inside of him that noted the boy hadn't reached for a wallet to pay yet.

Sure enough, he spoke again, and the topic was back on Zexion. And the Damatos.

"No, it really isn't," Demyx agreed once his customer had said his piece. "The out-of-towners have it worse if they get involved with that crowd though," Demyx said, his tone neutral, almost indifferent, as though he was simply talking about the weather as opposed to members of the wealthiest mob family in town. Trying to lighten the mood, his voice took on a playful, conspiratorial tone. "After all, Axel Damato isn't known for keeping a prolonged interest in any of his extracurricular relations."

o - o

Roxas snorted into his soda when the blond mentioned Axel, and it took him a moment to remember that they'd been talking about the other bartender's problems and not his own. He hoped the shadows were dark enough to cover up the sudden heat in his face as he tried to cough as quietly as possible, turning away from the rest of the bar in case he drew any unwanted attention. When he was finished coughing, he let his hand cover his mouth for a moment trying to recover himself before opening his mouth again.

He didn't know anything for sure, so he had to verify before letting his chest complete the descent it was currently attempting to finish. How to do it without seeming too interested or nosy, though… "Really," he managed to ask as though he wasn't all that interested, but also as though he couldn't believe it. "Has no one warned him about Axel and his family, yet?"

There that should do it. It was subtle, right? Like he was more worried about the quiet, blue-haired man than the fact that he was… was with… was with Axel, maybe? He didn't know what else to do except wait on the blond's response, every part of his body tuned to the bartender's voice as though his life depended on the answer. It didn't, but some part of him suddenly did, which was what made the wait so excruciating. He didn't know what he would do if Axel had already replaced him.

o - o

"Careful there," Demyx said as the boy across from him began to cough. "No need to rush. The line's not going to go dry." He added a gentle smile to his teasing words, leaning his arms and hands up against the bar counter in a way that mixed friendly with flirty. It was simply his nature to do such things, learned from years as a bartender. Some of his colleagues took it over the top, he knew, being blatantly flirtatious. Demyx only followed suit if he sensed the customer was interested. No point in creeping someone out who truly had just come for a drink and some time lost in their own private thoughts.

"I certainly haven't," he replied to the boy's conversational inquiry. Maybe he should have, but Demyx still couldn't be sure how deeply Zexion was involved with the red haired socialite in the first place. He also wasn't one to overstep his bounds in that regard. "Then again, I didn't realize there was any reason to do so in the first place," he finished with a shrug.

The boy was still giving him difficulties in his mind though. He knew he'd seen him with or around or related to Axel in some way. Just couldn't place the when or the how.

"You seem to know a lot about the Damatos though, don't you," he chose to say instead, making sure to keep his tone light so it wouldn't be mistaken for an accusation. "And if you're in college, as I suspect you are, you're one of the few non-locals something like that can be said about."

His tone was back to teasing, inflected with a bit of impressed. If the boy had an ego, he'd likely explain his knowledge base, Demyx figured. And if not, no harm done on his end. Ins and outs and giving people the option to choose either: that was what Demyx was good at. Some might not find it much of a talent. Some happened simply not to work in a bar. Their loss, if Demyx had anything to say on the matter, and there were very few times when Demyx found himself without something to say on any matter, that much was for certain.

o - o

Roxas found himself naturally returning the blond bartender's flirtatious gestures, leaning forward conspiratorially with a playful grin on his face despite what might be dire news as he answered. "Who doesn't know about them? Especially those of us who live nearby," he said, shrugging. "I am in college, yeah, but I'm not from that far away."

He kept the playful smile in place, but as he took another drink of his soda his blue eyes darted a glimpse at the other bartender and Axel's table before reconnecting with the blond bartender in front of him. It was impossible to tell from this information whether or not Axel had found someone new, and though his heart had already made the decision to sit in his stomach with his mind he'd decided to wait until he heard for sure before reacting. Well, he'd also wait until he got home, as well. In private, he could react however he liked, but until then…

Maybe he'd chat with the good looking blue haired bartender before leaving tonight. As crestfallen as the other man looked, Roxas couldn't help but feel bad for him, despite the hot jealousy in his chest at even the idea of Axel being with this other man. The blue-haired one looked so lost, almost like a little boy who needed to be embraced, though. How could Roxas even be remotely angry at him?

Besides, if Axel had already moved on, it was a green-eyed man who deserved his ire, not this innocent blue eyed one. Whoever the quiet bartender was, he didn't know anything at all about how Roxas had been close to Axel; had loved him.

Finally, glancing back up at the man standing before him, Roxas downed the last of his drink, pushing it forward for the blond to refill. "Another please," he said before adding in as nonchalant a tone as he could muster. "You know, I used to come here a lot, and I never seem to get your names. I'm Roxas," he held his hand out towards the bartender, hoping that the blond would reciprocate with not only his name but the name of his coworker as well.

o - o

Demyx chuckled a little, hands raised, palms forward in front of him as he pushed away from the bar counter slightly. "Fair enough then. It's seems I've underestimated at least some of the student population at St. Merritt." He shot a friendly wink the blond's way.

The younger boy's wandering gaze wasn't lost on Demyx, and again he wondered just what connection the blond might have with Axel Damato that he just couldn't bring to the surface of his memories off the top of his head. It was none of his business, but then again neither were most of the topics he ended up engaging in at the bar, especially after the patrons had had a few too many under their belt.

Although it probably wouldn't give him the answers he was curious about, Demyx was quick to comply with the boy's request for another drink. He prepared it quickly, remembering no ice and a lime spritz without difficulty. Music and drink orders: the only things Demyx even came close to savant status with.

"Roxas, eh," Demyx said, grasping the boy's hand without hesitation. "Cute name." He waggled his eyebrows a little good naturedly. "I'm Dem," he offered. Just about the only one who called him his full name was Zexion in this place. "Heart broken kid's Zexion," Demyx continued, inclining his head in the blue haired bartender's direction. "He's a fellow classmate of yours, and just a part-timer.

"And we've got Leon and Zach here tonight too doing the rounds."

Demyx looked up in the direction of the Damato's corner table just in time to see Leon clear four drink glasses and apparently take another round of orders. It was at that moment that Axel Damato himself turned toward the bar, for a brief moment scanning it before returning his attention back on his…colleagues? Something like that.

Demyx whistled quietly, and muttered under his breath, more to himself than anything else. "Heh. If looks could kill…"

o - o

"If you say so," Roxas replied to Dem's flirty response to his name. He personally thought that the only people who could actually find his name cute were his mother and his youngest sister, but that was beside the point just then.

He made sure to take special note of Dem's name and Zexion's in particular, nodding at the other introductions but not really committing them to memory like the first two. Of course, like Dem observed that was the lucky moment during which Axel just happened to look towards the bar. Roxas lowered his head, not as sure as he'd like to be that the shadows in that location would keep his face hidden the way he'd like, but kept his eyes on the red head well enough to catch the look on his face before those sharp green eyes returned to their previous position. He was not happy, that was for sure.

At Dem's comment, Roxas found himself shrugging, unsure of precisely how to respond to that, his eyes following the one that had just taken Axel's order as he returned to the bar with the empty glasses. The guy repeated the order to Zexion, grumbling about 'assholes' and 'hurry' as the gorgeous blue-haired guy turned mechanically to mix the drinks. Roxas's heart went out to him. Damn, that face… he wanted to hug the guy so badly.

Of course, it was his mistake that the thought came out of his mouth instead of remaining in his thoughts where it should have. "Damn, he looks like he could use a hug," he muttered, taking another swallow of his drink.

o - o

"Yeah, it's gotta be rough," Demyx murmured, gaze turning toward Zexion and the somber expression on his co-worker's face. He brought his own hand to his chin, rubbing slightly in contemplation at day old stubble, barely visible but still rough to the touch. "If I'd had any idea, I would've warned him personally." And then, more quietly. "That whole family's bad news."

A pair of customers sat down a few seats from Roxas. Demyx shot the boy an apologetic look. "Back in a sec, kiddo. Duty calls."

Then, as though nothing had happened at all, a smile was back on Demyx's face as he approached the two women, greeting them casually and taking their drink orders with ease.

He veered toward Zexion's corner of the bar, where Leon was waiting rather impatiently for the mixes to take back to the table he was serving.

"Fuckers better give me a damn good tip for treating me like dog shit," he muttered.

Demyx pursed his lips and simply shrugged as he turned to grab a bottle of vodka and began mixing by Zexion's side. Customers were a mixed bag. Those as loaded as the Damatos should be expected to tip well, but that didn't necessarily mean they always did.

"Zex," he said quietly, back turned to the counter and sure even Leon couldn't hear over the increasing din of the lounge. "If you need to take off, I can cover for you, no big." Demyx used a shaker to mix his concoction before preparing to head back and strain it in front his customers. "Just looks like you need some rest, maybe, is all. Ya know?"

He'd meant to head back to Roxas after that, but more patrons needed attending to and, as the night wore on, Demyx found himself more and more occupied with new customers. He stopped by once to see about a refill of Roxas' drink, but the boy waved him off, apparently finished.

Demyx couldn't be sure how much time had passed, but the next time he looked up, Roxas had moved places at the bar, closer to his favorite blue-haired bartender, and they seemed to be talking. Good luck, man, he thought. It's going to take nothing short of a miracle to cheer that guy up on a night like this.


	7. Strokes of Genius

Xion wanted to stab someone. Potentially Roxas the way this study session was going.

Motivate. Persuade. Inform. These were all things they were supposed to be focusing on with their given classroom prompt. These were all things they had to work on together.

Fine, except Roxas seemed to be out in left field and not actually digging through the textbook for speech ideas.

Silently, Xion seethed. It wasn't like she didn't have better things to do herself, other homework to deal with before getting on with her weekend plans tomorrow night. It wasn't like she wanted to be stuck with this assignment for any longer than she had to be.

Vaguely, she remembered having heard him mention that his brother had been ill a month or so back, right around the time he'd been missing so much class time. Maybe that was bugging him still a little.

And that sucked. Truly, it did. But when the professor had paired the two of them together and Xion was trying to get great grades her first semester at college, she really couldn't afford for her partner not to be as focused as she was when it came to their studies.

If it had been a written assignment, she'd have offered to do it all herself and gotten it out of the way quickly enough. Rhetoric was only a minor for her anyway. It was her Art major she was supposed to be more focused on. But this assignment required them both to do some public speaking in front of the class. If they both didn't design an adequate speech and both didn't figure out a persuasive argument around their prompt, it hardly mattered if she knew her position inside and out. They'd still only get half credit if Roxas floundered.

Frustrated, Xion shot a pointed look Roxas' way, but when that elicited no response, she cleared her throat slightly.

From the plush fuzzy rug on Xion's dorm room floor, Roxas looked up, his eyes momentarily unfocused before they fixed on her. Large, blue, and lost, they did Xion in just enough to soften the words that followed.

"Everything alright there, sly?" She shot him a rueful curve of a half-smile, still tight around the edges with irritation. "You seem pretty distracted tonight."

o - o

Roxas had been torn about what to do for a while now. Sure, he'd lured Zexion away from the bar by offering him information on why Axel was ignoring him that night, and if the blue-haired man had turned him down it would have meant nothing at all. However, when that face lit up as though Roxas was offering him a life-preserver that might save him from sinking, he'd known all he really needed to end up feeling like complete shit about the entire matter.

Of course, true to his word, Roxas had told Zexion exactly what was going on, even flirted with the guy a little bit (what? He couldn't help himself; the quiet bartender was cute), and given the guy his number… 'just in case you ever need some information, again, or if you just want to talk.' Zexion had called him once to thank him, but not yet since then. Of course, his devious mind had thought up a tiny little tidbit to keep the attention of the blue-haired man, and given Roxas the idea to point out that it really was a little strange that Axel hadn't been the one to share that particularly important information with him… 'maybe you should ask him about that…?' Other than that, what was he really doing here?

Three parts of himself were battling it out: one part that wanted Axel back, another part that solidly did not want to ever date a guy like him again, and the part that did not want to take the guy that Zexion had so obviously fallen for away from him. Childishly, Roxas would sometimes just think that it shouldn't matter. He had had Axel first! Another part remembered those gorgeous eyes lighting up when he'd shared the information with the bartender, and essentially explained that their red-head had not just been ignoring Zexion. By the Stars, Zexion was cute when he smiled!

But what… Xion's voice pulled him out of his thoughts, and he snapped his head up. "Uh, yeah, sorry," he answered, looking half at her and half recalling where his thoughts had left off. "I'm just having guy problems, right now," he said, then snapped his mouth shut. He hadn't meant to share the exact problem with her, shit.

o - o

Did he just say _guy_ problems?

On her bed, Xion sat up.

"As in, dating issues, or what," she asked, her expression sharp, almost hawk-like. Perhaps it was too straightforward of a question, but did that actually mean this guy she thought was halfway decent also wasn't someone she had to worry about getting hit on by? Because that would be…ideal, actually.

St. Merritt University was a shithole of religious conservatism, from Xion's perspective. Most of the kids who came here on mommy's and daddy's dime parroted their parents' viewpoints more often than not as well. It could be a lonely place for those who were seen as different, even if they had come from similar privileged backgrounds like Xion had. Still, Xion had been particularly careful with keeping her own orientation under wraps while at this school. The last thing she needed was some bitchy dormmate complaining to an RA that she was uncomfortable showering in the same room as someone who was attracted to other girls.

Because being a lesbian obviously made you super horny for every single girl on campus. Naturally.

The look on Roxas' face clued her in that maybe he'd taken her question in the wrong way, as though she was planning on judging him as opposed to simply asking due to a potentially mutual experience. Made sense at this school. How many times had she heard words like "the homosexual agenda" or seen same-sex marriage written out with scare quotes? Too many to name, and she was just a freshman.

So, that in mind, Xion leaned down, stretched out one arm, and gently ruffled the blond's already disheveled, spiky hair.

"I mean, at least you sound like you've got a guy." Her voice was accepting, possibly even hinting at teasing a little around the edges. "It'll be my luck to remain a celibate lesbian my entire four years at this this fine institution, the way I'm going."

o - o

Roxas tensed. Not that it would matter if someone went and outed him on school grounds, right now. He was actually pretty sure that he couldn't possibly feel worse than he already did, but that didn't mean he needed anyone to be disgusted with him just then either. Particularly not when it was someone he had to work with for a grade.

Her statement made him relax and deflate simultaneously, taking her words in and letting them touch that sad, cracking inner part of him that had realized all too recently that he'd been replaced after only a few months of separation. Not that they'd been together long before that, but it still hurt.

"If it makes you feel any better," he muttered. "I haven't got a guy anymore. He's, I mean I think, he found someone else. Pretty sure I could have him back if I wanted, but… I mean, Zexion's such a sweet, shy guy; it just wouldn't be fair. Maybe… but… I don't know."

Ordinarily, Roxas was not the type to talk to anyone else about his problems. He saved these conversations for his journal and a carefully selected pen, but he must have been flustered because he damn near went on talking even still. It still hadn't registered in his mind that she had called herself a lesbian, actually. He was really just trying to wrap his mind around the constant thought processes that refused to stop circling his mind, over and over again, as though thinking about the situation all the time would somehow help him come up with a solution.

Since it refused to stop, Roxas finally felt himself just drop his head into his hands, and keel over onto the bed, groaning, "I don't know what to do…"

o - o

Xion cringed. She was being a bitch again, pretty sure. Everyone back home always mentioned how blunt she could be when she didn't think through things before blurting them out.

"Rox—" she started after Roxas' first sentence, but the blond continued on as though he hadn't heard. For once, Xion simply listened, eyes widening a little as he gave out more and more details. She didn't recognize the name of the other guy he'd mentioned, but it probably wasn't surprising. If he wasn't one of the 30-something art students in her composition or sculpting classes this semester, Xion probably didn't know him and that was fine by her. Girls were petty bitches for the most part at this school, and guys were generally dicks who had dicks in her book. The only way she was going to find someone meaningful of her own was to pluck up the courage to get her ass off-campus and find someone older, more mature. She just couldn't handle the infantile behavior that took place at this school most of the time.

But Roxas seemed genuinely torn up about this. And at least he wasn't a total shithead, willing to hurt an innocent third party just to get some guy he was crushing on back.

That was assuming the third party was innocent, of course…

Hand still in Roxas' hair, Xion began to massage gentle circular patterns into the boy's scalp, hoping to soothe him a little. She might've been a girl who'd kick in the balls of anyone who so much as brushed up against her in what she considered an invasive way, but when it came to being physical herself, Xion hadn't really learned boundaries yet, which she might have considered the definition of irony if she'd considered it even a little at all. She hadn't.

"Wait, so you're saying your man _cheated_ on you, then," Xion asked, shoulders bristling a little against her bob of a haircut in the process. "If that's the case, I know it's probably hard, but I definitely wouldn't be bothering with him at all."

o - o

He cringed at Xion's question, refusing to remove his hands from his face as he answered it. "Not exactly," Roxas called past his fingers.

His face was red now, but he still had his hands over it so maybe she wouldn't notice that his neck had gone pink. He was an idiot, anyways. This whole thing was stupid, he shouldn't have said anything. Except that his brain wouldn't shut the fuck up about it so why would his mouth? Daring to peak out from between his fingers, he glanced up at Xion.

How could he explain without telling the whole fucking story? It was kind of a long one.

"I kinda left," he finally added. "You know, when Ventus got…sick. I didn't exactly tell him about it."

Unsure what to say exactly, Roxas felt the need to defend himself before she could tell him the whole thing was his own damn fault, and he should just drop it. So he went on in a wail that he would have considered undignified if he had thought about it at all.

"I was mad, okay? I don't know if he'd just take me back anyways. I mean, I know he would or… I thought he would, but then he didn't wait for me. And Zexion's hot so I can't really blame him, or no I can blame him but not him. Ah! I don't know."

He let himself faceplant on the bed, burying his mouth so that even if he opened it he wouldn't be able to say anymore. Roxas didn't like feeling like he had to depend on someone else, but that was exactly what he seemed to be doing… again. Hadn't the whole Axel thing taught him anything?

o - o

"Your brother, right?" Xion asked, just to make sure she was keeping up. Holy gods, this guy's social life was complicated, especially compared to hers. Xion was the baby of the family, her two older brothers being just about a decade older than her each. Baby also meant accident, because she wasn't stupid about things like that. And it meant she'd been kind of sheltered too. In fact, Xion was pretty sure if she hadn't discovered she preferred girls over boys, her life would've been pretty stereotypically upper middle class boring. And that wouldn't necessarily have been a bad thing.

"So," she countered, speaking to the top of Roxas' head as he appeared to be eating her comforter at the moment face-on, "just to be clear, you left your guy for a bit to take care of your sick brother but didn't tell him, only to find out he'd moved on by the time you got back. And you think the guy he moved on with is hot. Sound about right?"

She noted Roxas' slight nod before continuing.

"Not that I have _any_ experience in stuff like this whatsoever, but first, it sounds like unnamed guy one is a dick for having moved on so quickly, and second, sounds like you have a serious crush on this Zexion guy," she rattled off.

"So, the logical thing to do would just be to propose a polyamorous relationship and see how that goes," Xion finished. Honestly, she tried not to chuckle, but she'd never been really good at hiding her emotions. Plus, she was feeling pretty proud that she even remembered that term. It'd been one she'd come across while doing research on what at the time she'd considered her own messed up attractions to girls. It'd been one of those things she could point to and say, 'hey, at least I'm not _that_ screwed up.'

But under the circumstances, it didn't seem like such a bad idea for Roxas' current predicament — if he even knew what it meant, that is. Xion didn't like to talk down to people very often though, so she left it at that, without further explanation, and returned to patting the blond's hair consolingly. Maybe being in a relationship wasn't all it was cut out to be after all, hmm.

o - o

Point one: Axel is a dick; check. Point two: crush on Zexion; check. Not that he had really thought about it like that when he'd talked the blue-haired bartender into taking his phone number, but then again that would really explain why he'd felt so disappointed not to receive any calls from the guy, yet. Roxas had been so obsessed with the mess with Axel that he hadn't even realized he had a crush on the new guy in his life. What a mess.

Propose? Polyamorous? "What?" he asked, raising his head to look up at Xion for the first time since beginning this conversation. "You mean as in… more than one partner? Isn't that kinda… you know… slutty?"

That meant more than two people in a relationship, right? As in… Axel, Zexion, and Roxas? And as Roxas thought about that, he thought he could imagine himself with Axel, but he'd also had wonderful daydreams about pinning that quiet bartender to a wall, too. Could he picture the three of them...together?

His body shuddered slightly, imagining himself with the two of them, but he also cringed trying to imagine the other two of them together in front of him. Roxas shook his head, though he wasn't entirely sure what exactly the action meant. He could imagine the three of them, but then again was he really ready to do something that meant sharing with another man… with two other men, when it really came down to it?

"I don't know if all three of us are mature enough for… that," he mumbled to himself, but a plan was already forming in the back of his mind.

Maybe not, but he could prepare all three of them for something like that, couldn't he? Not to mention he could get back at Axel a little for leaving him, all at the same time. His thoughts were officially gone now, imagining and scheming. The chess match in his brain was calculating steps and steps ahead as his idea took a more solid form, and he found himself sending a brief text to Zexion before Roxas even realized that he'd made a decision one way or the other.

o - o

Slutty? Xion giggled a little to herself. _That_ was what he was worried about? It seemed somewhat silly from her end. How could something be slutty if it was kept under wraps? Wouldn't others have to know about it? And wasn't that term completely defined by society's ridiculous expectations of what was moral or acceptable anyway? Oh, whatever. Gay boys were so fussy about irrelevant details, from her perspective.

"Not if you all agree on rules and boundaries. It can actually be a very rewarding, long-term experience," she said, her voice taking on a lecturing, informative tone.

The look Roxas shot her was enough to get Xion to withdraw a little. "I mean, that's what I've read anyway," she amended. The last thing she needed was some prissy classmate calling her out on her own lack of relationship experience.

But Roxas seemed more embarrassed by the idea than anything relating to Xion herself.

"Well, yeah, like I said…" she trailed off, eyebrows raised pointedly. "It's probably not a good idea if anyone involved is the jealous type. Or still acts like a 10 year old," she muttered the last bit under her breath.

Xion watched as Roxas whipped out his cell phone and started typing pretty rapidly against the keys. "Awesome," she said, her voice not particularly interested or gossipy like it might have gotten if she were just about any of the other girls on campus here. "You'll have to let me know how it goes."

Shifting on her bed slightly, she flipped to a relevant page in their text.

"_Anyway_, I don't suppose you'd want to get started on our project now. I don't know about you, but I definitely don't want to spend much time on it this weekend…"


	8. Reconciliation?

Three days. The span of time wasn't long by any stretch of the imagination, but to Axel it felt like an eternity until he was able to pull himself away from family business enough to make a trip to Zexion's apartment in university student housing across town.

Even then, he had people following him. It was rare when Axel could slip away from his parents' security detail, but almost impossible when he was actively working the business.

Today was no different, but as his small entourage arrived in the dorm's parking area in front of Zexion's building, Axel turned on his detail.

"I'll be back in 15 minutes."

They looked as though they wanted to protest, but Axel was quicker than his hired suits.

"This is a private school," he said, his tone curt. "The security'll be tight anywhere I go."

A man named Rude, the lead in the Damato's private security, raised an eyebrow. "15 minutes, Mr. Damato. Fine."

Nodding, Axel turned, stepping into line behind two other students, waiting with a bored expression as one of them swiped their ID card to unlock the door before following them in.

Zexion's room was on the second floor. Axel remembered that much. Then, it was simply guesswork and an attempt to remember the drunken path both had taken on their first night together.

His memories led him down a right corridor, to one of the last doors on the left. Taking in a breath, Axel raised his hand and knocked firmly against the cheap wood of Zexion's dorm room door.

He had so many questions about where Zexion had gone three nights ago. At the same time, Axel was pretty sure he was going to have to answer a few questions of his own. Hopefully he'd come up with something satisfactory without giving too much away.

o - o

Zexion looked at his phone, surprised to get a text at all, but then one from Roxas on top of that. _Lunch_? Well, that was just…

A knock on the door interrupted another repetition of the thoughts that had been running through his mind ever since receiving that text, and he turned to look at the door before getting up as though it would reveal who on earth was on the other side asking for entry. After a second of that, he decided that the only logical thing to do was open it because it wasn't like guessing who was knocking at this strange hour when he had very few friends at this university would get him anywhere.

So about two minutes after the first knock, Zexion got up and crossed the room to his door, pulling it hesitantly open, and then freezing with his mouth a little open at the sight of his visitor. "Axel?" he asked, not believing his eyes at all. "What are you… I mean, hi. What's… is this… I mean… do you want to come in?"

He was a little breathless, surprised at the sight in front of him, but unsure what he was supposed to do here. The last time Axel had been in his room they had… well, it made Zexion tremble a little to have the tall man here again, that was for sure.

o - o

He'd almost convinced himself Zexion wasn't home. But just as Axel turned to go, the door clicked opened to reveal the slate-haired college student before him. He said nothing as the younger man stuttered his way through a greeting, but offered a quick nod as he was invited in.

"I can't stay long," he said, hoping to set the man's nerves at ease.

At the very least, it didn't seem like the part-time bartender was angry with him. There was that, at least. Unfortunately, that didn't explain to Axel why Zexion had disappeared that night. Where had he gone? Who had he left with, if anyone? Quite honestly, why did he care so much at all?

He followed Zexion into the small room that at both times looked familiar and didn't. A desk, a bed, and a small wardrobe closet was all that greeted his eyes. It was a far cry from Axel's penthouse, or any of his family's properties.

He leaned up against the small desk.

"Look," he said, trying to choose his words carefully. "There are some things I should have brought up with you, that I likely would've at some point if we were still meeting up like we'd just started to."

Slowly, Axel ran a hand over his smoothed down hair. It was in a ponytail today, tied back and slick, complimenting the casual suit he wore. Indeed, Axel could clean up when it came to his attire. He preferred the grittier look, figured it made him look fiercer when it came to prowling bars and clubs. His family had a reputation to uphold though, and mid-day on a weekday afternoon was no time to scrounge it up.

Axel looked down, irritation clear on his face at the memory of his own surprise at the bar Tonio had opted to patronize. "I just didn't realize I would've needed to say something so soon," he muttered, obviously annoyed.

o - o

Zexion felt his heart drop into his stomach at Axel's first line. He wasn't staying long. Trying not to show his disappointment, he let his eyes travel over his well-dressed visitor with appreciation, wanting more than anything to throw his arms around the taller man's neck and kiss him. Only, Zexion didn't know if that was alright. They'd been seeing each other for almost a month now, but that was only a few weeks, too. It could mean nothing to Axel, the same way that it meant everything to him. He faltered.

The red-head started talking though, and blue eyes snapped up to take in every word. He couldn't help but take a few steps forward when he noticed Axel's agitation, wanting to comfort or appease if he could.

One hand on the taller man's shoulder, he opened his mouth to respond, but hesitated. This Roxas guy had given him information about Axel, but that didn't mean he could trust him, did it? So instead of consoling the taller man in front of him, Zexion chose to dig a little.

Looking curiously up at the red head, he asked, "what things?"

o - o

Green eyes looked up sharply.

"The kinds of things my family does privately as a facet of our business dealings," he replied simply, looking away more so he wouldn't be directing his irritation at Zexion than out of shame. Axel wasn't embarrassed about his family's livelihood. He'd grown up in it, after all, saw nothing wrong with duping people who deserved to be duped in the first place. "Things the media don't portray, although I'm sure they'd love to if they thought they could work that angle."

He looked up again and back at Zexion. "The people my family sometimes deals with aren't ones you want to fuck around with," he said, his voice firm, expression hard as an image of Tonio forced its way into his mind. "Having friends or people you care about is a liability, especially if it's known. Doesn't matter if they're in my family's employ right now. They won't always be. And that's when the trouble can start."

There was absolutely no doubt in his mind that Tonio would use any relationship Axel had to his full advantage if he thought it would be advantageous for him in some way. At the same time, Axel didn't find it necessary to clue Zexion in on just what dealings his family got into. In his line of work, the less you knew, the better.

"I didn't want to ignore you that night. I just had to." Axel gave Zexion a scrutinizing look. "Do you understand what I'm saying?"

o - o

The tone Axel was taking with him made Zexion withdraw into himself, pulling his hand back and nodding before the red-head was even finished speaking just to get that tone to soften or disappear entirely. He'd never seen the other man as angry as this, and it frightened him a little. Somehow the times they'd spent together in private came back to him, and the roughness held a new and somewhat frightening sort of meaning now. Zexion knew he wasn't strong enough to defend himself from someone like Axel if it came right down to it, and he'd had enough run-ins with bullies growing up to worry a little about getting hurt.

He took half a step back, glancing up at those green eyes to try and gauge what sort of mood the other man really was in. Axel had said that he couldn't stay for long.

Just in case he hadn't seen the nod, Zexion made a point of verbally acknowledging the information that the taller man had just given him, hoping that this would appease him somewhat. It had been several days without a word; he wanted a hug or a kiss or some acknowledgement that the other man felt the same way that he did about the lost time together. Had Axel missed him at all as much as he'd missed Axel? Zexion was positively terrified that he hadn't, and also afraid to ask if he had.

Instead, he glanced up silently trying to remember what the man looked like standing in his room… in case it was the last time it ever happened. Unsure of what else to say, he just stood there for a moment with his mouth shut, breath coming more quickly than usual, and heart racing. Why didn't his mind seem to work properly around this man? It was remarkably inconvenient.

o - o

The moment Zexion took a step back, Axel automatically stepped forward as though to follow him. But then, a pause, as Axel took in the other man's stance, and expression, before him.

Was Zexion…scared? Of him? Of what he'd just said? Zexion had only said enough to indicate he'd heard and understood before, after all that Axel had explained. When he'd told Roxas, the blond had wanted an explanation, more words and information until Axel felt himself being exposed bare in front of the college student who'd somehow managed to draw his attention so fully away from other men, to thoughts of a real relationship.

And here Zexion was acting in just the opposite way. He was backing away from him.

"You don't have to see me anymore if you'd prefer not to," he said, his brusque nature concealing most, but perhaps not all, of the hurt in his tone. In fact, the thought infuriated him, that he might lose out on this one who, although not nearly as outwardly alluring as Roxas had been, was really keeping his mind distracted on days when they were apart.

This was all Tonio's fucking fault. If that motherfucker had just chosen a different meeting place three days ago, maybe Axel and Zexion would have been still spending their evenings together, waking up in the mornings for breakfast before work and school. It seemed like such an impossibility now, especially given Zexion's current reaction to his words.

When Axel spoke again, the sarcasm was evident in his tone. "It's not like I'm going to punish you or call in a hitman if you'd rather not pursue this further, you know."

o - o

"No," Zexion said before he could stop himself. "I just… mean…" He looked up at Axel, wondering what it was that was going on exactly. "Hit man?"

Wasn't that someone that mob or mafia families had at their disposals? What was going on?

"If, I mean," he hesitated taking a step forward, but not sure what exactly to say. "I don't want to stop seeing you, if that's okay. Just… what's going on?"

He asked not expecting an answer, and wondering if Axel didn't want to tell him, would Roxas? The thought presented itself in his head before the red head had even answered his question, but he doubted given how standoffish the man was currently being that he would get what he was searching for. He could hope though, couldn't he?

Did Axel want him to break it off, or was the man over-compensating, Zexion wondered. And why was it always so difficult to make sense of things with him?

o - o

This was Roxas all over again, just more clueless, and in many respects more heart-breaking for Axel, although he'd never admit it out loud.

"I was joking," he replied dryly to Zexion's first inquiry. He wasn't stupid, didn't use his family's resources for personal disputes. Never had.

"And nothing's going on," he was quick to follow up. "I just have some business to take care of, and it involves people I'd mostly rather not work with."

Unbidden, an image of Tonio came back to him. Then the scarred-up face of Saix. His father had apparently called him in to do the dirty work, the part Axel himself rarely got his hands sullied with. Oh, he knew what Saix was there for, what tools and methods were used on those who couldn't pay his family back. He'd been present often enough, sometimes even the one doing the talking. Just never the one doing the hurting. That wasn't a job for a Damato. That's what they paid others to take care of for them, quite simply because they could.

That's where Tonio had come from too, was mostly why Axel had so little regard for him now. Tonio had fucked up one too many assignments, had exerted control and excessive force over those who hadn't deserved it. They had their own set of rules, his family. You didn't cut off fingers for a minor infraction, for one, when a simple torn out fingernail or a mild beating would elicit the same desired result. They _did_ want return customers, after all.

Axel glanced down at the watch at his wrist. His 15 minutes were fast approaching their end. "I have to go soon," he said, eyes flickering back toward Zexion expectantly, curious at how he was managing to take this all in.

o - o

The idea of kissing Axel, solidified itself in Zexion's mind for some reason, maybe because he felt like he hadn't gotten to do it in so long. Before he could even register the blush that had slid up his neck and onto his cheeks or become embarrassed by the idea, he found himself taking a few steps forward, wrapping his arms around the taller man's neck, and pressing his lips against the other pair. Hoping, as he did so, that Axel would return his gesture, but being prepared for the red-head not to.

He'd missed Axel even before the whole situation at the bar the previous night that had seemed to make everything so complicated so suddenly. Would this be the beginning of the end? Zexion didn't want to lose this man just because he couldn't handle something like what he'd just been presented with.

"I missed you," he finally said, knowing for sure that those words would not be returned, but blue eyes searching out green in the hopes that they would be, anyway.

Letting go almost at once so as not to overstep his bounds or push himself on Axel when the red-head might not want him to, he waited for the blow that would make him want to curl up in his bed again wishing he'd never met this man. He didn't know in what form it would come, but he was always afraid… of being left behind, again. It had already happened once, hadn't it?

Before Axel could slip out the door though, Zexion remembered that he did have a question for the man. "Oh, uh… Axel," he said and then forced himself to continue before he could chicken out. "Who's Roxas?"

o - o

The kiss, he'd waited so long for the kiss, the touches, just everything. Normal people had relationships and saw their significant other whenever time permitted. Axel had one-night stands and performed disappearing acts sometimes for weeks or months on end. It wasn't fair in the least, but it was his life and he knew no other.

But right now, in these two remaining minutes, he was here and Axel returned the kiss, arms sliding around Zexion's middle section.

It was over too soon, with Zexion pulling away first.

_I've missed you too_, Axel thought, but said nothing. He already felt like he'd said too much today.

And then the question hit him, the name specifically, and it sent Axel mentally reeling.

"No one," he immediately snapped, defenses up. Where had Zexion heard that name? Surely he'd never met Roxas on campus…they seemed to run in entirely different circles.

Zexion's surprised expression made Axel's own soften a little. He wouldn't apologize, but he really shouldn't have been so defensive.

"Just a former boyfriend," he amended quickly. "Maybe not even that…" It wasn't like they'd done anything together, or had really even gotten to know one another over those few short months together. And now it was over almost before it had started.

The question remained though: how did Zexion know Roxas? Why was he connecting him with Axel anyway? This, at least, was something safe to ask, he figured.

So, raising an eyebrow slightly, ask is just what Axel did. "Why do you want to know?"

o - o

A former boyfriend? What did he mean when he said, 'maybe not even that'? That was…strange. Not to mention the tone that he took with Zexion just for mentioning that name. Was Roxas someone he should be careful around, or was this someone that Axel wasn't quite over yet? Damn it all, why couldn't he just read the mind that was hiding behind those green eyes?

"I met him at the bar the other night," he answered, unfailingly honest even though he wished he wasn't at that moment. "He seemed to know you."

He took a step closer to the red-head again, leaning closer, and attempting to change the subject. "Do you have to go?" he questioned, fingers playing along the man's collar. Really, the suit was beyond hot on Axel. It was a strange feeling for him, but Zexion wanted to unbutton it and strip it off of this man. "When will I see you, again?"

o - o

Then Roxas had returned after all…

Axel swallowed hard but otherwise kept his cool. "I see," is all he responded with, eyes wandering to Zexion's fingers at his shirt.

The way Axel wanted Zexion made him hate his security detail even more at the moment. If he could just slip his hands under the other man's shirt, slide a few fingers beneath the button of his jeans…

And then what? Get barged in on by two overzealous bodyguards, that's what. Get word sent back to his father that he was a raging queer and have to deal with that. In all honesty, Axel didn't know how his father would handle the news that his son preferred cock to the alternative. However he reacted though, Axel knew enough to know it wouldn't be pleasant.

"Yeah, I have to go," Axel responded, pulling reluctantly away. "And I can't answer that. I'm not sure how long this business of mine is going to take."

Moving back toward Zexion's desk with purpose, Axel grabbed a pencil and a loose sheet of paper and scrawled his personal cell number onto it. "Make sure you shred or burn this once you've got it memorized," he said, giving Zexion a rueful glance. "Don't program it into your phone." The implication was clear: If you need me, now you can reach me.

Fuck it all. He hadn't even done this for Roxas…

Then, standing to his full height, Axel moved toward the door, last words lingering in the air long after his departure, the smile in his voice a hint of things to come.

"Glad to know you still want me around though. I'll try to see you soon."


	9. Awkward Proposals

Roxas and Xion sat at the table inside a little sandwich shop near campus waiting for the hot, blue-haired bartender to show up. Xion was probably right when she suggested that Zexion would be more comfortable meeting Roxas in a friendlier situation with more than just the two of them present, but it did make the conversation he wanted to have with the blue-haired bartender a little more complicated then.

…didn't it?

He fidgeted, looking at his phone, then the clock on the wall before checking the door again. _Dude, chill_, he tried to tell himself. _You're early_. But it was very difficult to relax when he was about to put so much of himself on the line here. Roxas didn't even know how he would say some of the things he needed to say… or how Zexion would take them.

Oh boy. He half hoped that the other man wouldn't show up, but the echoes of disappointment when he imagined that were more painful than he had expected them to be, as well. Taking another sip of his soda, he glanced at Xion before turning his attention back to the door. Maybe if he stopped looking at it the other guy would show, or had he decided not to come after all? Argh!

Why was Roxas so nervous? Oh yeah, because he was proposing something today that made him feel like a bit of a crazy person, or a pervert depending on this guy's point of view. This would have been so much easier if he knew what Zexion thought of him, but it was a little too late for that now. Checking the time again, he sighed, and turned his eyes down to his untouched sandwich.

o - o

Matchmaker Xion: It had a nice ring to it, maybe?

Probably not, on second thought.

Still, the raven-haired freshman thought it was kind of cute how lovesick her blond classmate happened to be. She couldn't honestly say she'd experienced much of anything remotely relating to real attraction, so Xion didn't necessarily understand it on a personal level herself. But still, she could think it was cute when she saw it in others.

"Simmer down, sly," she said, noting Roxas' fidgeting movements. "If you described his personality accurately, I can't imagine he wouldn't show up."

Part of her was curious to meet this mystery man number one as well, after all she'd heard about him. Zexion. Zexion, Roxas, and some third guy whose name she didn't yet know. She'd never heard of a polyamorous relationship with three guys being successful, but it was an interesting idea to ponder. Guys — gay guys in particular, she figured — could be really possessive. And jealous. They'd just have to see, she supposed. It was sort of like a science experiment.

She was just here to act as a buffer, to ensure the other guy wasn't scared off by the idea of this being a date when it wasn't. Yet. She'd even told Roxas he had her full confidentiality on anything she overheard. Who would she have to tell anyway? She'd pretty much admitted to him that she had no friends, at school or elsewhere. The only thing there for her was her artwork. And …Roxas? As a friend? Maybe.

Unconcerned that the time was drawing closer for Zexion to appear, Xion pulled out a pencil and began doodling on her napkin. Before long, she had a good handful of different sets of eyes before her. She drew Roxas', her professors'…even some of the bitchy girls in her dorm hall.

How ironic then that when Zexion did actually end up appearing, Xion could see only one of his. For the time being, she kept her mouth shut. But still, the devious thought lingered: just what would his reaction be if she brushed that meddlesome hair out of his eye for a better look?

Purely for reasons of artistic accuracy, obviously. Of course.

o - o

Axel's ex-boyfriend, if that's what he was, wanted to have lunch with him. Zexion wasn't sure if it seemed like a trap or something much, much stranger. Why him? To Zexion, this all seemed a little much. It wasn't as though he was good-looking or anything, and he had gone through most of his school years knowing full well that he was just an awkward gay guy that most people might like but who wouldn't really have many dates or boyfriends or much of a social-life at all. Why was it now that things were starting to head into the land of social awkwardness and encounters of the popular-blond variety?

Not that he knew Roxas very well or anything, but the guy had the kind of looks he would expect to see from the school jock who could get girls to hang off of his arm like candy canes off of a department store Santa Clause. Why were guys like Axel or Roxas even looking twice at him when they had each other? This was some sort of horrible, complex, extended practical joke, wasn't it?

The bell on the sandwich shop door jingled as he pushed it open, denying him any chance of entering silently. Roxas was immediately recognizable as his savior from nearly a week ago; the guy who had handed his heart back to him with a few simple words. He would have to remember to ask the blond how he knew Axel to… verify what the red head had told him. After all, it was just a little strange that the man who was apparently so into him that Zexion had found himself pinned to the wall within seconds of entering the man's apartment in every encounter they'd had so far was so hesitant to share details of his work life where this blond guy was not. What was going on?

Without offering much more than a nod to each seated person, Zexion sat noisily down at the table, blushed, and looked at the menu as though he was hungry and might want something to eat. He wasn't and didn't, but it was easier than looking at the people sitting at the table with him while he tried to think of something to say to them instead.

o - o

Ugh, _boys_.

Gay boys in particular.

Xion found herself rolling her eyes as both guys around her got very awkwardly silent. Did she have to do all of the work? It wasn't like she was the most social person on the planet either.

"So, you're Zexion, and you're Roxas," she said, her voice exaggerated to show her exasperation. "So that obviously makes me Xion, third wheel extraordinaire. Hi."

When that initially only got Zexion's nose even further into his menu, she tried again.

"I'd recommend the Lebanese chicken sandwich," she offered. "Unless you're vegetarian. Then I'd go with the portobello focaccia. Both seemed to get really good reviews on Yelp. I checked before we came over, although I've heard they sometimes rig their pages to give better reviews to businesses that pay them extra, so it's hard to know for sure."

It was possible that Roxas was shooting her an incredulous look, but seriously, screw him at the moment since he obviously wasn't getting much done on his own. Xion knew things. She could improvise.

"And you're actually a student at St. Merritt, right?" she asked Zexion, just to verify. "You look a bit…mature, I guess. And I've never seen you in any of my classes, but I'm an art student so maybe that makes sense."

At this point, Roxas looked positively…what was the word for it? Xion was sure it'd come to her at some point. Until then, she daintily folded her hands on the table in front of her and returned the blond's look with a sweet smile of her own.

o - o

Roxas felt his eyes widen at Xion, and then a very strong urge to kick himself for not getting started as nonchalantly as she had. He looked at Zexion's reaction, and found himself grinning like a complete idiot at the slight coloring in the other man's cheeks. By the stars, he was cute.

Trying to think of an icebreaker, he opened his mouth to say something, but his new friend continued on ahead of him. It was probably just as well, since he hadn't thought of anything but still… he kind of wanted to kick her under the table at the moment. That was when Zexion answered though, and Roxas forgot his frustration with Xion almost at once.

"I'm a, uh, Junior," he said, finally looking at her.

Those strangely colored blue eyes looked her over, assessing and regarding at the same time, like he was sizing her up but not in a way that made him look remotely interested. Definitely gay then, Roxas thought. The girl was too well endowed for anyone even remotely inclined to look at women not to notice those… particular appendages. He had noticed, after all. Then again, that didn't necessarily mean anything, did it? Ugh, he was reading too much into everything already. This was doomed to fail.

"You probably wouldn't have any classes with me even if you weren't an art student," the blue-haired man continued on, his tone matter-of-fact. "My major's a little more… practical than art."

Roxas wanted to snicker, but he bit his tongue. What was funny wasn't what this guy said, but the innocent way in which he said it. Almost as though he meant no offense, even though that was precisely what he'd given her. Chuckling a little, Roxas asked him what his major was. That was when those eyes focused on him for the first time, this time assessing him in a different way than he'd done Xion, and then … did he deflate a little?

"Electrical engineering," he said, glancing at his hands, "with a minor in political science."

Roxas looked toward Xion, unsure what he'd done wrong, before turning his full attention to Zexion. "I'm an Astronomy major," he offered. "Um, with a minor in rhetoric," Roxas finished, trying to find some common ground with this fascinating guy. "Are you hungry?" he said, but turned to look at the raven haired girl he'd brought with him, at a loss as to how to get this guy to relax. Roxas just… didn't know what was wrong.

o - o

"Yeah, well," Xion started, a small smile on her face, "who wants to be practical? I mean, where does that get you? Good job, nice salary, a cute guy hanging off your arm, if that's your thing…who needs it?"

And weren't these two just absolutely adorable? Xion thought so. Who wanted to date boys ever when they were cute enough to go on the shelf above her childhood bed, chibi-style?

God, was she ever a lesbian…

"And yeah, famished actually," she continued, pressing on when the other two wouldn't. "I'm probably just going to get some chips and spinach dip. Not that I'm vegetarian, mind, but I've heard eating too much meat totally screws up your digestive track."

By her side, Zexion coughed. She blinked at him, oblivious to the lightly suggestive image her words might have induced in the college junior's mind.

Instead, she simply ordered when the waiter next came around, then waited patiently for the other two to order as well, before forging onward with the conversation.

"Actually, I read about it, not heard it. I don't really talk to a lot of people. Well, besides Roxas lately."

She looked up at Zexion. "What about you? Roxas said you two met in a bar, but he didn't tell me much else. Are you from around here? My family lives a bit upstate, thank gawd for that."

Their food came and within seconds she was munching appreciatively.

"I hope you know you have interesting features," she informed Zexion between mouthfuls. "But your hair sort of gets in the way a little, which…" she looked from Zexion to Roxas then back again, "…I think is a little disappointing for both of us, ironically."

o - o

This Xion girl sure did like to talk, didn't she? Zexion sort of stared at her, offering answers when she turned to him automatically, but with as short a response as was possible, unsure of how to act around someone so chatty.

"He was at the bar I work at," was one such response. "Yeah, my mother lives ten minutes from the student housing," was another. The rest were nods, shakes of the head, 'uh huh's, and 'uh uh's. Really, he wasn't trying to be antagonistic or difficult; he was just supremely out of his element.

When the food he'd ordered arrived, Zexion poked at it, only actually sipping the drink to give him something to do. His eyes felt strained from trying to look everywhere except at Roxas, and from accidentally meeting Xion's gaze once or twice and flying in the other direction. Now that he had a plate to busy himself with though, his blue eyes began to become trained mostly downwards with occasional glances up at his tablemates from time to time.

If Axel had dated this guy, this Roxas, why on earth was the red-head even looking at someone like Zexion? He couldn't understand. Of course his logical mind reminded him that the well-dressed man had left a phone number for Zexion to reach him if he needed him, but that didn't assuage his worries. What did it mean if this was the kind of guy he could be with whenever he liked? And what did this blond guy want with him, if not to get back at Axel or exact revenge on him for being with his ex? Zexion was nervous.

His female tablemate started talking again, and he looked up at her automatically, surprised that she could still have something else to say. Didn't she eat? The mental complaints he was composing faded when he heard her words, however. Zexion froze, looking at her with slight awe. What did she mean by interesting? Wait, what did she mean, 'disappointing'? No, what did she mean for 'both of us'?

Blue eyes glanced up at Roxas, whose eyes were intently upon his, and the realization of what Xion had just said began to creep up his neck as a blush that he did not know how to suppress. Was that why the blond had invited him here? He found Zexion's features… interesting? What did that mean?

Looking back at Xion, he tilted his head back and jerked it slightly to the side, shaking his hair free of his face before glancing uncertainly back at Roxas waiting for the blond's reaction. When he spoke, however, Zexion addressed Xion, "Is… that better?"

o - o

The moment Zexion literally whipped his hair away from the covered side of his face, Xion figuratively jumped into action.

"Don't move," she said, reaching for her pencil and flipping her napkin over to the other side. Her eyes flicked back and forth from Zexion down to her make-shift drawing pad and back up at the college junior in front of her as she quickly sketched out the other side of Zexion's face that had been concealed from view before.

Very quickly, the image began to form on the napkin in front of her: guarded, inquisitive eyes, framed by a slightly furrowed brow, down-turned but full lips, and a strong but not overbearing nose. Then she began to add in his hair, the curve of his neck as it met his shoulders and more.

Her food was forgotten now. When she drew, Xion was in her element, more than any other time. She'd drawn Roxas a few times too when he'd been deep in study mode. He was a good subject too, with traditionally handsome good looks and a friendly expression. Zexion was unique though. Not in-your-face handsome, he still had an alluring quality about him, especially when he hid half of his face behind colored blue hair.

"Much better, yeah…you're just so fascinating to look at," she agreed, with a hint of a smile. Then, turning to Roxas, Xion's eyes took on a mischievous glint. "Wouldn't you say so too, Rox?"

o - o

He didn't have a chance. The minute Zexion moved his hair, showing his unobstructed face for the first time that Roxas had ever seen, he was mesmerized. Axel was gorgeous, yes, but this man had a look all his own that had Roxas's eyes widening a little. Man, did the red-head know how to pick 'em or what? Luckily, Xion provided a good distraction, her drawing pulling the blue-haired man's attention so that Roxas could stare openly at him while she worked.

The only problem with this came when she abruptly turned her attention back to him, putting him on the spot, and drawing those exotic looking eyes back to his face, guarded gaze gauging his reaction. The blush he could feel crawling up his cheeks definitely defeated the purpose of his nonchalant tone, and Roxas knew it.

"Fascinating is a good word for it, yes." _'Stunning' might be a better one_, he thought, but kept his mouth shut on the matter as Zexion's eyes held his.

Roxas was the one who looked away first, his face burning as his eyes found the uneaten food on his plate, part of which he had already begun ripping to shreds with his fingers. He kept his eyes on his plate as he continued though, afraid of the other guy's reaction to his next thought, but feeling compelled to say it anyways.

"That's partly why I invited you here," he said, forcing himself not to mutter, but almost doing it despite his efforts. "I wanted to spend more time with you… to see if your personality was as attractive as your looks."

When he finished speaking, he had to glance up to see Zexion's reaction to his words. This was the first step in putting himself out there. If the other man was amenable to that, then maybe… but one thing at a time, right? His hands trembled slightly as he waited for a reaction.

Zexion's mouth fell open, and then promptly closed. He sure as hell hadn't expected that from Roxas. His face burned, and he wondered it matched the blush on the blond's face. It had to be the color of Axel's hair right about then.

Of course, that was the thing, wasn't it? Axel. He had Axel. He had the red head's phone number and his ear, but… no, that did not necessarily mean that he had him. The way this guy acted made Zexion feel like if they started dating he would actually _have_ Roxas in a more equal way, where they chased each other and no one had more power over the other. Not like Axel had him, but he did _not_ have Axel. Or… well, why did he think that? What made him think that?

Glancing up at Roxas, he met eyes that seemed fearful of his reaction. This guy knew he and Axel were an item, right? Zexion wondered what kind of courage it took to put yourself out there like that when the chances of being rejected were likely, but he could not even imagine it. Even the idea that Roxas had done that for him though gave him some level of respect for the blond that had not been there before that moment.

That didn't change the fact that he was with Axel, though. He wanted to be with the red-head more than anything, and maybe if he just waited things between them would change for the better. Maybe… but then how would he tell Roxas that?

Roxas seemed genuinely interested in more than just what Zexion could do to him in private while still looking at him as though he would like to do things with him that were not meant for anyone else's eyes, which was not something the blue-haired man was used to from anyone. It made him hesitate. And instead of just denying the blond outright with reminders of how he was taken, Zexion found himself asking a question instead.

"Well, uh… is it?"

o - o

Xion was practically beaming at the exchange she'd just witnessed. Once the two of them got going, it was even cuter to watch than before. Grabbing another napkin out of the nearby dispenser, she began scribbling fiercely yet again, this time constructing a basic sketch of two college guys that looked suspiciously similar to Roxas and Zexion. Of course, Roxas was standing behind Zexion, pressing his lips to the older boy's neck. Of course.

Once done, she left it where it lay, available for everyone within the near vicinity to see.

_I'm going straight to hell for this, but at least I had fun along the way…_

There was a lull in the conversation, so Xion looked up, wondering if she'd gone too far. Nope, since neither had seen her little doodle yet. Instead, it was just Roxas floundering for an answer to Zexion's very shyly posed question.

"Not that anyone asked me," Xion piped up, "but Roxas seems to have a pretty good feel for these things." She smiled sweetly, fiddling with a lock of her own dark hair.

When Zexion didn't immediately respond, Xion leaned forward a bit across the table, whispering as though Roxas wouldn't be able to hear her from just the next seat over.

"I obviously can't say this from a position that involves physical attraction at all, obviously, but I'd say that means you have potential, yeah."

o - o

Xion had a way of interjecting just when Roxas was beginning to feel flustered and shy, something not at all usually like him. If not for her, this might turn into a date of silence and nervous glances. He shot her a grateful look, glad she was there, but that was when he caught sight of the napkin she'd been drawing on - the one depicting him and Zexion. His eyes shot directly to the blue-haired man across from him then to see if he had seen it, but that must have been the giveaway because that was when those finally uncovered blue eyes turned toward it.

Roxas wasn't feeling as shy anymore; he was feeling calculating. He wanted this man every bit as much as he wanted Axel. He just didn't _love_ him… yet. How did he make that happen?

Well, Zexion's reaction to the picture was a start, he thought. Blushing and closing his eyes as though he'd imagined it for just a moment, the man across from him looked even more alluring than he had at any point that Roxas had seen so far_. What would he do if I kissed him_, he wondered, involuntarily licking his lips at the idea. No one kissed until after the first date though, right? Except maybe Axel...

"Definitely," he began, remembering he had yet to answer something, but then pausing and waiting for those blue eyes to find his again. "More attractive than I expected," he finished, offering a smile he hoped would calm the other man down.

Zexion obviously wasn't used to hearing compliments, that was one thing Roxas was sure of, which was a shame, really, considering how nice looking and seemingly sweet he was. Reaching one hand across the table, he let his fingers slide tentatively over the other man's, continuing on. "If that's alright to say, of course."

Zexion didn't know what to say, but he did know that he was a little annoyed with his brain for doing nothing beside sending blood to his face and neck on a fairly constant basis. The idea of having Roxas's mouth on his neck was beyond a pleasant one, and he was a little embarrassed to find his body a little aroused by that thought too. It felt a little like cheating to be turned on by the idea of someone else touching him though, which was also adding to the overall confusion.

Roxas had introduced himself as someone who knew things about Axel if Zexion had needed or wanted the information, so he couldn't have been entirely clueless when it came to what was going on between them, could he? Then again, he might have just noticed the interest Zexion was showing and wanted an in.

Whatever the reason, the blond was complimenting him and then asking him if it was alright to do that. There were very few moments in his life that he'd felt so flattered, and of course he nodded his agreement that, 'yes', it was okay to say that. Roxas grinned at him then, nodding and continuing onward.

"Good, then is it also alright if I ask you to come to a party with me tomorrow night? It's a college thing, but the sorority house across from my dorm rooms is throwing it so I wouldn't have to drive home. You live on campus, right?" Zexion nodded automatically at the question, and Roxas continued on. "Good, then neither of us will need to drive. So how about it?"

Zexion just looked at him for a moment, glancing to Xion before answering, unsure about what to do. Unfortunately, his eyes found that napkin again in the process, and closed of their own volition with that vision behind his eyes again. It was a temptation, and it wasn't as though he'd had much experience with that sort of thing in his life. He was almost helpless against it, actually.

So with only a shy glance up at Roxas, his hair falling back over the side of his face like he was used to, Zexion nodded. "Okay," he mumbled. "Yeah."

o - o

D'aww. So cute.

"Well, it sounds like that should be a fun night," Xion chirped as she pocketed the napkin and dove into the last remnants of the dip in front of her. "Hope you two enjoy."

Sorority girls were not Xion's thing. A bunch of bitchy females, too concerned about their make-up and hair to really care about anything else? Yeah, no thanks. She hadn't even considered rushing any of the houses at the beginning of the year.

Now, as she dug out a few five dollar bills, Xion stood, regarding them both under eyelids unadorned with any sort of what she called 'female consumer communism.'

"Very nice to meet you, Zexion," she said, placing the bills down on the table in front of her. That should cover her food and her portion of the tip. Her departure would also give them more time to talk alone, assuming they needed it.

"Roxas, give me a call sometime, hmm?" She smiled a bit dreamily at him as she shouldered her schoolbag, thoughts already elsewhere, on napkin doodles and a million potential poses for her two newest muses.


	10. One Wild Night I

Zexion didn't know how this had happened. The last thing he coherently remembered doing was walking to this party under strict orders from himself not to drink too much, or let what had happened with Axel happen with Roxas. He _was_ still taken, after all.

Of course, that hadn't seemed to stop him from being so disoriented that he couldn't exactly recall the reason why he was moaning, or letting the world spin wildly around him while he wondered whether he was still wearing his pants or not. All he knew was that at some point he was handed his phone and it was suggested that he give Axel a call, asking him to come over. Glancing toward his desk, he did realize that, whatever had happened, Zexion had at least managed to get himself home, or someone had.

He was drunk enough that the suggestion made sense. After all, he was aroused, even if he couldn't particularly recall why, and he wanted Axel to be there with him when he was. So he picked up his cell phone and dialed the number that he'd spent hours and hours making sure he had memorized. When the voice he had so long been craving met his ears, he slurred out one sentence before lips at his neck had him moaning again.

"Axel, I'm calling 'cause I nee'dyou, nnng…"

Then the phone was pulled from his fingers, and he tilted his head back and his hips upwards to grind, thinking of the red head and those piercing green eyes looking down at him. It was only a little strange to imagine that Roxas was there as well, but he was too drunk to really analyze that one just then, just enjoying it and wanting in logic's stead.

o - o

He'd been at his parents' home spending the night when the call had come in. A long day and even longer evening meant he was in bed around midnight. Not something he was accustomed to doing. But quite honestly the slurred tone of need in Zexion's voice had both alarmed and aroused him. Axel was awake in an instant.

It'd seemed so long since he'd last seen the college student, even if it had only been a week.

It'd been a long, fucking week for Axel then and, depending on why Zexion needed him, it might be about to get a little longer.

Pulling on clothing, Axel made a grab for his long black leather coat. He even managed to make it halfway down the family's front drive before being stopped by none other than Rude and a handful of members of his security detail.

"An escort, Mr. Damato?"

Silently, Axel swore to himself. Rude answered to his father, not him, and the message had been clear before he'd agreed to let either Tifa or Axel help on this assignment: neither were allowed in public places without a sufficient security detail.

He didn't have time for this bullshit right now, especially if Zexion actually needed his help.

Axel curtly shook his head. "I'm meeting with a colleague, being picked up just down the block," he said. "I'll use his detail instead."

Rude didn't look convinced. "I'm under strict orders to—"

But Axel cut him off. "To keep watch over Tifa, myself, and our family, yes," he said with impatience. "And our family is currently residing here," he stabbed an index finger in the direction of the Damato's estate. "Why spread resources thin when I can use someone else's, who I might add is also a member of our organization."

Rude pursed his lips, crossing his arms. Looked uncertainly up toward the Damato's home. That's when Axel knew he had him.

Turning back to Axel, he scowled. "If I find out that any part of this story has been fabricated and your safety ends up compromised as a result, don't expect a rescue party."

Axel forced the smirk that was rising away from his face. He knew full well whose ass would be on the line if one of the Damato siblings was hurt as a result of a breach in security, regardless of whether they'd specifically asked to be left alone or not. They could get away with a lot when it came to their father and his underlings. He just didn't want to remind Rude of that.

"You won't," he said, and departed without a backwards glance.

He took a cab to Zexion's. Less traceable and noticeable both for leaving the neighborhood he'd come from. Although there were no students to use to let himself in this time around, it wasn't difficult to convince the RA on desk duty to let him through and into the student housing area.

'Late night study session in room 270' was all it'd taken to get buzzed through. The attendant had looked at him with suspicion until he'd mentioned the room number. Zexion's studious reputation, it seemed, preceded him.

Then it was just a quick few strides up the stairs to the second floor landing, and down the increasingly familiar corridor to Zexion's room. He considered simply opening the door, but a quick, silent test of the handle informed him the door was locked. Nothing he couldn't break down quickly if need be. Still, Axel decided to err on the side of caution.

He raised his hand to just below face level and knocked.

o - o

Part of Roxas really hated himself for tricking Zexion like this, but the other part of him could honestly not think of a better way to pull this off. He had to know so badly that it felt like his life depended on the answer. It had been easy enough to get the blue-haired man talking, particularly after he'd had a bit to drink. What was not easy was getting him to talk about Axel. The guy seemed to think that he had to protect the tall red head for some reason, and information about one of the most protected men in the area was damn near impossible to drip from even a slurring drunk Zexion.

It happened though, a tidbit here about a time Axel had shown up at Zexion's apartment, another about a phone number given, one or two about meeting at the bar, and another about being taken back to an apartment one night with a room bigger than the college student's entire living quarters. Useless information could become useful if Roxas distracted his date; so he did.

Really, just a few kisses on his neck, a question about the last time Zexion had been intimate with Axel, and in no time they were heading back to the blue-haired man's apartment.

"Do you miss him?" Roxas had asked.

"Yes," Zexion had begged the word, like something he needed to go on living then and there could be given by that one word.

"Don't you have his number?"

"Yes," came the slightly more hesitant answer, as though it was a realization.

"Call him."

He expected Zexion to hesitate or consider or even ask why he should while Roxas was there, but apparently the blue-haired bartender had lost all of his inhibitions because his phone was immediately in his hands and he was dialing. Roxas listened, sliding his hand idly down his date's chest before reaching up with the other hand to quickly snatch the phone from him and snap it shut.

Roxas had had some alcohol too, but not so much that his reflexes had been slowed as a result of it. He'd just needed a little liquid courage, that was all...

When the knock sounded at the door, he helped Zexion to his feet, surprised by how single-minded the shy man could be when he wanted something… or someone in this case. It was almost as though Roxas wasn't even there, which hurt just a little but that was what he got for getting the blue-haired man this drunk, he supposed. It was part of his punishment; Axel would likely decide the other part.

Unlocking the door, he put Zexion's hand on the handle and helped him open it, remaining behind the door as it opened. Roxas was vaguely aware of the fact that his date had thrown himself into Axel's arms, reaching up in a way that had him imagining a kiss. The words 'god I missed you' were uttered breathlessly from the other side of the door, as two forms entered the room; and then he closed the door behind them.

o - o

If anyone was keeping count, Axel had spent more time with Zexion during their brief relationship while he was drunk as opposed to sober. Perhaps it shouldn't have seemed strange then to witness him drunk now.

Something seemed off though to Axel. Something seemed—

Before he could speak, Zexion practically fell into his arms, kissing him recklessly. Even though he knew the man was drunk, the sound of longing in Zexion's voice made Axel's stomach tighten pleasantly. He returned the kiss, although kept his eyes on the room they were entering warily.

Once sure their surroundings were empty, Axel helped Zexion gently down onto his own bed. The man clung to him, pulling an unbalanced Axel down to a sitting position beside him.

"Zex, hold on. The door is still ope—"

It was at that moment that the door clicked shut. Axel was on his feet, hand reaching for the small switchblade he always carried in one belt loop beneath his leather jacket for situations just like this.

A flash of tousled yellow hair, of deep blue eyes, met his gaze, and Axel froze, hand still curled around the hilt of the blade.

"…_Roxas_?"

He took a step forward, but then stopped where he was, expression hardening slightly as he remembered just who it was who had left months ago.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" he demanded, but it sounded weak even to his own ears. The longer he looked at the college freshman, the more Axel remembered the feelings he'd had for him during their brief courting though, and the anguish he'd felt when Roxas had disappeared without notice.

Now here he was standing in the room between Zexion and Roxas. For nearly the first time in his life, Axel realized he had no clear concept of what to do.

o - o

His heart was pounding as he stood leaning against Zexion's door, watching this man he was still afraid to trust. 'What the fuck are you doing here,' Axel had asked, but the tone sounded more like 'where have you been?' With every fiber of his being, Roxas wanted to run the last steps separating them and wrap his arms around Axel's neck, embracing him and kissing him. Nevertheless, he schooled his body into stillness. That wasn't the plan.

"What the fuck am _I _doing here?" Roxas asked, trying to keep the accusation out of his tone because this was one thing he couldn't blame Axel for; for replacing him so quickly, yes, but not for doing it with someone like Zexion. The blue-haired man on the bed, the one reaching for the red-head as though he needed (which Roxas had made sure he did), was the one good thing he thought his ex had done.

"He's not your type, is he?" he continued on. "Zexion is sweet, shy. I thought you liked them confident and easy."

Roxas didn't want to sound hurtful, but he wanted to get Axel talking to him. There was a reason he was here, and there were some things he needed to know. Without asking him outright, the first thing he wanted to know was already out there between them: why him? Why did you pick him to replace me?

o - o

Axel crossed his arms over his chest and shot Roxas a pointed look that implied 'yes, that's what I said. Quit stalling.'

The next moment, he glowered in response to Roxas' mention of Zexion.

Where the fuck did Roxas get the idea that Axel's personal life was _any_ of his business? He'd gone and left, without so much as a note of explanation. Axel had been good to him, hadn't pushed him further than he'd been willing to go. Come to think, he'd been practically on a goddamn leash the entire time he and Roxas had been together. He wouldn't have stood for it with anyone else. Right now he was having difficulties knowing why he'd taken it from Roxas at all.

"How do you know what 'my type' is?" he responded coldly. "Unless you're stalking more of my past relations or that's how you view yourself."

It was at that moment that Zexion stood, whispering his name with such longing it would've been difficult for Axel not to give in — if not for Roxas' continued presence in the room.

Instead, he caught Zexion under the arms, holding nearly his full weight as the younger man stumbled.

Axel turned his attention back to Roxas.

"What the hell did you do to him?" he said through gritted teeth. Axel had slipped his security detail, under the impression that Zexion might be in danger. Instead, he'd found himself face to face with the one person other than Zex who might actually still hold an emotional stake in this game. Axel was livid.

"If I find out drugs were involved _at all_…"

He trailed the words off, his voice a low growl. The threat, however, was absolutely clear in his tone.

o - o

Roxas scoffed at Axel's self-righteous response; this from the guy who was responsible for more than just his little brother's addictions.

"Drugs are your specialty, not mine," he snapped. "Ventus is fine by the way… got out of the hospital last weekend, no thanks to you."

He couldn't help that response at all. It just came spilling out of him like someone had turned on a faucet, and the water pressure had finally pushed passed a breach that had been blocking it. His brother, the reason he had left in the first place. All of Axel's information on people's backgrounds, histories, locations, and had he once checked up on Roxas when he left? Hadn't even worried about whether or not something had happened to him, had he? That hurt a little to think about, but then he'd already known that Axel hadn't. If the redhead had checked up on him, they would have had this fight a while ago.

"No, I just kept him drinking so I could talk him into calling you," Roxas's tone was dry.

Alcohol could probably be considered a drug the way it affected Zexion, which he actually felt a little bad about, but he couldn't think about that now. He'd just have to do everything in his power to make sure the guy didn't feel too sick tomorrow morning, even if he had to go to the store and get bread, bananas, and water himself in the middle of the night.

Now that it came right down to it though, how exactly did he go about saying what he needed to say to this man when he was still so angry? Well, he hoped Axel really did care about Zexion the way his arrival speed seemed to indicate, because if the red head wanted him to leave Roxas didn't think he'd have much of a choice.

"He'll do anything you want him to, right now," Roxas added dropping his eyes slightly in shame. "He thought I was you for a minute when we first got back here."

o - o

The anger in Roxas' voice was palpable. Ventus. Younger brother. One of…Reno's customers, maybe. Coming from a well-off family, the boy had never been behind in payments so he had largely slipped under Axel's radar. No point in threatening someone who had the money to pay, right?

He hadn't known about the hospital, but maybe Axel could've guessed. Reno had been complaining that one of his better customers had disappeared on him, leaving him to scramble to find new hooks, to squeeze the money out of the addicts whose bills were not yet paid up in full. Could that have been Ventus?

Although his eyes narrowed at Roxas' tone, Axel kept quiet. Ventus hadn't been his fault. He hadn't got him hooked, or even come to collect pay. It wasn't _his_ fault every time some loaded teenager wanted to spend daddy's money on a bit of a trip.

His stance relaxed, if only slightly, the moment he heard Roxas verify that Zexion was only drunk. Drunk he could deal with. A drug addict for a companion he could not.

As if on cue with Roxas' last words, Axel could feel Zexion's trembling hands reach for the zipper of his leather coat, then slide beneath its folds as the younger man searched for the bottom of Axel's shirt.

"He doesn't need to be half drowning in alcohol for that," Axel scoffed, gently pulling Zexion's hand away. The last thing he needed right now was to start getting hard in front of an ex-boyfriend.

"What I don't understand at all, _Roxas_, is why you're here, in this room, with my boyfriend. Care to explain that one?"

The words were out before he'd considered them. It was the first time Axel had referred to Zexion as anything other than a convenient fuck, and he was well aware of it. Still, he held his gaze level, expectant, on Roxas. The fluttering in his own stomach could wait. He needed answers now.

o - o

In all honesty, Roxas did not actually want to explain at all, but that he cared to… well, that was the point wasn't it? How to start, and to do it without completely torturing Zexion, considering he was innocent in all of this. That thought alone made Roxas think this could work though, if it could work for them.

"I'm not asking you for sure because it wouldn't be fair to him," Roxas began, softening his tone and indicating Zexion before looking at the floor. He wasn't done being angry, but he hadn't come here because of that, at all. "I just wanted to know, because it was suggested to me, and I think we could make it work if… if you wanted it to."

He really didn't know how to start all of this. It was the strangest suggestion he would ever make, and before he made it he had to admit something that he ordinarily wouldn't have dared to tell this man otherwise. Stars, it made him want to turn around and run out the door right then, and the only thing stopping him was his determination to plant at least one foot firmly on the ground.

"I just… I've, you know, done a lot of thinking lately, and I… uh, well I realized that I'm in love with you," he blurted. "And I was looking for you so that I could tell you that much, and so that we could talk when I came across your-your boyfriend." Had he ever called Roxas his boyfriend? The fact that he couldn't remember Axel ever doing so hurt a little, he had to admit.

"I didn't want to tell you that after I'd met him because," he glanced up at Zexion then who had paused to stare at him with very drunk yet still half-aware blue eyes. "…because he's actually a good guy."

He inhaled one long shaky breath glancing back at the ground before getting up the courage to look into those fierce, green eyes. "I was wondering if you still wanted… uh, wanted me that way, if maybe we could try a polyamorous relationship; th-the three of us. I just…" a deep breath. "I thought it would be fairer to talk to you about it first before asking Zexion. He doesn't know our history…"

He looked down when he was done talking; done explaining as best he knew how. This whole thing was a mess, and he had no idea what to do about it if this wasn't a good enough solution. Roxas did know that he wouldn't be the reason for Axel breaking Zexion's heart though; he would leave first or be the one to comfort him. Whatever it took for those blue eyes to look at him with that wide fascination like they did the other day in the sandwich place he would do it.

o - o

Love. Had Roxas just said he loved…

Expression softening of its own volition, Roxas' words ran through Axel's mind at breakneck speed. Roxas loved him? Then why the fuck had he left? Why the hell had Roxas always put him off when he'd tried to be intimate with him even before that?

The confession hit him hard, and for a moment Axel felt himself drawn to the blond in front of him, even to Zexion's detriment.

_Zexion_.

The man had gone still in Axel's arms. For a moment, he'd thought it possible Zexion had passed out. A quick glance confirmed that Zexion was still conscious and taking everything in with an air of drunken awe.

Great. Fucking fantastic.

And then a word he didn't understand at all. Poly-_what_?

He wanted to snap at Roxas, to tell him to get the fuck out and leave him to tend to Zexion who was without a doubt going to be downright miserable come morning. But the boy's vulnerability was obvious, and…did Axel want him? If the predatory underpinning to pin the boy directly to the wall and punish him for putting them all in such an awkward situation was any indication…

Fuck this all.

"What," he said, shifting his weight to ensure Zexion wouldn't topple if he lost his balance again. "You're saying you want to date Zexion and me both. At the same time." His expression was curious, but guarded. To Axel, it sounded like Roxas was asking permission to fuck around with his boyfriend while Axel was still dating him. His expression was so vulnerable though…so open. But if not that, what did Roxas actually mean?

o - o

Roxas sighed. This part at least would be easy, except that he felt so vulnerable; so raw and ripped open. He looked at Zexion while he recited information, having done some extra research, almost in his honor, or entirely depending on your view of things.

"I looked it up," he began. "Polyamorous relationships: they're the practice, desire, or acceptance of having more than one intimate relationship at a time with the knowledge and consent of everyone involved. It is often described as _consensual,_ _ethical,_ or _responsible non-monogamy_." He rattled off the definition from memory, straight from the online dictionary he'd pulled it from. "It, uh, would depend on Zexion's consent as well as yours, and it would be a relationship between all three of us… uh, equally. I would be your boyfriend, and Zexion's. Zexion would be your boyfriend, and mine. And you would be my boyfriend, and Zexion's. It… uh, you know. Just three of us instead of two… so-so that everyone's happy… maybe."

He looked up at Axel then, breaking away from blue eyes that were looking at him with awe he didn't feel he deserved just then. Roxas felt like a scheming snake; the kind of guy he'd mentally accused Axel of being for so long now that it made him feel guilt seep throughout his body, making his eyes water. Blinking back any tears from coming, his expression hardened.

"I was just going to ask if you wanted me back, but I didn't want-" he turned back to Zexion. "I didn't want to hurt you." He felt horrible, but he also wanted to step forward, to touch both of them. Sun and moon, what had he gotten himself into?

He let the expression hang in the air, expecting the worst. What Roxas did not expect, however, were the hands that landed clumsily on his face, or the blue eyes that met his a moment before he was sloppily kissed by a very drunk Zexion. Odd, he would have expected the studious man to hit him after that, not kiss him. Either the blue-haired man was a severe light-weight, or Roxas really had lost track of how many drinks he'd slipped into Zexion's hands earlier.

"Zexion… mmm, shit," he muttered, trying to break away from him carefully, without pushing him away or making him feel as though that's what was happening. "We should find you some water… or bread or something. You taste like rum."

o - o

Much of what Roxas had said had gone straight over Axel's head. That's not to say Axel wasn't smart. It was simply a different type of intelligence than the kind learned in universities. Where students like Zexion and Roxas memorized and recited for grades, Axel strategized and interacted to make financial decisions for his family.

It also meant he had only a vague notion of what Roxas was proposing, if any at all.

It was difficult enough being homosexual and a Damato. After a decade of obvious disinterest in the girls and women from similarly well-off families he met, Axel figured his family had to know. At the very least, his mother did. His father…well, he could be a shrewd businessman who considered all angles before jumping to conclusions, but when it came to the sexual orientation of his son, he might as well have been a deaf mute. The message had been obvious to Axel from a young age though: Damatos don't turn out to be faggots. Especially not the men.

He'd spent his entire life pretending, searching out men for single nights of sexual gratification and then dropping them, unable to see a future in his line of work or within his family with them. Tifa's exploits were more public, her boyfriends better known. Axel simply allowed girls to hang off his arm for the good publicity it brought his family. If he had a bit of a reputation as a party animal as well, all the better in his father's eyes — as long as he got his work done behind the scenes.

As Zexion stumbled forward, Axel watched with surprise — and even a little bit of jealousy — as the drunk college junior began to kiss an unexpecting Roxas.

He had to admit it was hot though.

Axel crossed his arms once more over his chest, drew himself up to his full height.

"You mean you want a threesome," he returned, trying to sound disinterested, not moving to help Roxas with Zexion this time. Still, his voice upturned into a question, his tone perhaps giving away his lack of understanding in this subject area entirely. This was not something that Axel had any experience with whatsoever, and it showed.

o - o

"Well," Roxas began, still trying to fend Zexion off but just as carefully as before. One hand grasped the blue-haired man's slender hands, holding onto them while the other slid calmly down the man's face to his neck down his side as slowly as he could manage while still trying to talk to Axel. "If the threesome was between three consenting men, all of whom would be willing to be together that way or with either of the other two again, were also in a threefold relationship, and all agreed to do it exclusively… with the three of you, then yes."

He didn't know how to explain his idea properly, and he was afraid that it showed. How could he get Axel to understand what he was thinking, get his idea across if the definition he'd just given hadn't described it well enough? That was when Roxas remembered that Axel was more of a 'show don't tell' sort of man. Except, uh… how to do that without…

"For example," Roxas began, "it would be a situation where we all knew how to contact one another, where we could all… well…"

He paused, looked at the unsteady Zexion, weighed how much he would hate himself or how much _Zexion_ would hate him for this in the morning, for that matter, and then kissed him, both hands holding the drunk man steady as he pressed lips to a surprisingly willing mouth.

Then, separating and hearing a disappointed moan from the man in his arms, Roxas guided the drunk man forward, pressing him towards Axel where, luckily, he wrapped his arms around the red head's neck and mimicked Roxas's action by kissing the man full on the mouth. After a moment, he pulled away, letting Roxas lead him to the bed, before turning to Axel, hesitantly wrapping his arms around the taller man's neck, taking a deep breath, and leaning forward with the intention of pressing their lips together if his ex didn't stop him.

o - o

Staring at the spectacle before him, Axel found himself thankful he hadn't had anything to drink tonight. He wasn't sure if he'd be able to believe what he was currently seeing the next morning otherwise.

The jealousy at seeing someone else kiss Zexion was expected. What wasn't was the teasing hint of arousal at watching the two college students kiss one another. Arms still crossed, he felt his body relax considerably without his permission. A moment later, Roxas had turned Zexion toward him, and he was pressing against the familiar lips of his bartender.

Roxas was right. Zexion did taste like rum.

Still speechless when Zexion pulled away, Axel watched without comment when Roxas led the blue haired man to the bed and then returned to him, his posture hesitant, almost submissive. He could feel gentle hands and arms wrap around his neck, could see wide blue eyes pulling his face down toward rounded, full lips.

Axel couldn't hold himself back any longer. He cleared the last remaining inches between himself and Roxas, kissing the younger boy hard, sliding his arms around Roxas' waist and pulling their bodies together. Anything Axel had left unsaid about whether he still wanted Roxas was quickly explained within the confines of that simple kiss. All the longing, missing, _needing_ he'd done in the months since Roxas had left were dispelled in the matter of a minute through bruising lips, pressing bodies.

When they finally pulled away, Axel knew Roxas had his answer, although he hadn't said a word.


	11. One Wild Night II

Roxas felt a shudder run down his spine at the familiar kiss crushing his lips, and the familiar hands pressing him up against a familiar body; he'd missed this. Before Axel had let go of him, he'd felt Zexion's hands wind around his waist, and if that was not the definition of hot Roxas had no clue what was. Gently, he unwound the blue-haired bartender's hands from around his middle as he pulled away from Axel, stepping to the side and replacing the hands around the red head's waist where he thought they should be.

"Okay," Roxas breathed. "I, uh… I'll leave you two to… I'll just go get him a banana or some bread. He's too drunk to… I can ask him tomorrow, you know?"

He was feeling so giddy he couldn't even finish a proper sentence. Axel's approval was the one he thought would be hard to get, while Zexion seemed interested in him, right? Suddenly, his giddy happiness turned right back into nerves, redoubling and shaking his body a little. Roxas had to get out of there, and poor Zexion had been being teased for too long now. He was so drunk.

"Right, I owe him an alcohol cure, and you… well you've missed each other. So I'll be back later with some supplies if you both still want to let me in. You should make him drink a bottle of water before making him sweat though. Better that way… yeah."

He didn't know what to say now. Whatever he'd thought about this polyamorous thing, the beginnings of it were still going to be a little awkward for everyone involved. Not to mention, it still tore at his chest a little to think about Axel doing anything to Zexion, and worse to think of anyone at all with Axel when it wasn't him. Still this had been his idea, and he would get used to it.

"Uh… is two hours enough time, or…?" he asked as he headed for the door.

o - o

He wanted Roxas to stay.

Quite honestly, what Axel really wanted was to fuck Roxas straight into the floor. Just not in front of Zexion, or…

He ground his jaw together, frustration plainly evident. At this point, Axel had no clue whatsoever how to handle any of this. All he knew was Roxas was leaving, and Zexion was remaining, and he had to be home before Rude started getting suspicious. God, he couldn't wait for this one particular assignment to be over.

How was any of this going to work anyway, when Axel was already having difficulty hiding one relationship from his family and their colleagues? Now he had to hide two? That was what Roxas had proposed, right? He thought he understood, although it wouldn't have been such a surprise to discover he'd misinterpreted yet again. What was with these college students and their long-ass terminologies for everything?

As Roxas slid Zexion's arms around him, Axel lowered himself to the bed by Zexion's side. Without looking up again, he replied to Roxas' inquiry. "Two hours should be fine, yeah. I'll need to leave after that."

He waited only long enough to hear the door click shut before he focused his attention back on Zexion before him. The man's eyes were unfocused, although he was still conscious from what Axel could tell. Slowly, he brushed the long blue hair away from his boyfriend's face, looking on the younger man with visible tenderness.

"Zexion," he said, careful to keep his voice low and soothing. "How are you holding up?"

_And did you understand anything of what just went on? Because I sure as hell didn't get it all…_

o - o

Honestly, Zexion wasn't entirely sure what he'd agreed to. He knew that Axel was there and he knew that Roxas was there, and that 'there' meant they were at his place. There had been a point where it had seemed right to kiss the blond, and another point where it had seemed allowable to kiss the red head. He wasn't entirely sure but it seemed as though they'd just agreed to try dating each other; all of them.

Part of him was thrilled by the idea, but another part of him was well aware that his ability to think straight was being severely impaired by the sheer amount of alcohol he had apparently had to drink. The conversation went on for-ev-er, while all he really wanted to do was get Axel to pin him to the mattress. What was there to talk about? They should all join in.

Maybe that was why he was not the one involved in this conversation… but he had to admit that he felt remarkably ignored even after trying to get the attention of both males in the room. It had Zexion feeling a little neglected and unwanted, feelings that both lingered when Axel finally sat beside him.

He heard and comprehended the question the red head asked him; however despite knowing that it wasn't an appropriate response the words that had been on his mind were what came out in answer. "You have such good taste in men," he slurred. "Why 'n-earth arey'ou dating mmme."

Truth be told, Zexion had been wondering for days, even weeks now, why anyone who looked like Axel or anyone who looked like Roxas would be pursuing him. He knew he wasn't the best looking gay guy out there, or the most experienced, and he'd come to accept that. He'd buried himself in school work to avoid the shame of having no social or love life to speak of, and that had been an easy enough solution. This whole situation was making his head spin worse than the alcohol he'd consumed, and he looked up into bright, green eyes helplessly, unsure of what to say.

After a moment of waiting that felt like years to Zexion however he reached up and kissed Axel, pulling at red hair to urge the taller man to press his much needed and sorely missed weight on top of him.

"I missed you so much, Axel," he breathed against the other man's lips. "Make lo-nnn… fuck me till I can't think anymore… please?"

o - o

Generally speaking, when someone as hot as Zexion was practically begging to be fucked silly, Axel wouldn't hesitate in complying. Something about Zexion's expression held him back though, despite his own body's growing arousal to the man's words.

Gently, he raised a hand to Zexion's face, tracing the strong line of the man's cheekbone. It was the first feature that had attracted Axel to him in the first place, and he focused on it now as he pondered the question Zexion had slurred moments before.

What did he see in Zexion? Then again, what _didn't_ he? Axel saw intelligence, unique looks, restraint, and a tantalizing willingness to throw that same restraint to the wind when it came to his relations with Axel. These were all things that made Zexion stand out, that had made him worth more than a simple one night stand in Axel's mind.

He didn't voice any of these thoughts though, was simply content to trail his index finger down, from Zexion's cheek, to his jaw, throat, and the tender area around his collarbone.

Face still close to Zexion's, Axel looked up into unfocused blue eyes. "Is that what you want?" he asked softly, the need obvious in his own tone. Images of Zexion's kiss with Roxas were still fresh in his mind, and they were making Axel hotter by the minute.

His first kiss was gentle, simply brushing Zexion's lips with his own. For once, Zexion could set the pace if he liked, Axel decided, completely aware of just how worked up Roxas had left his boyfriend not long before his arrival.

With his free arm, Axel pulled Zexion closer to him, enjoying the warm, rum-infused breath on his face. Slowly, his hand roamed lower.

"Do you know how much I want you right now?" he breathed, voice husky as his lips returned to Zexion's. This time there was force in the action. And an open mouth.

o - o

_What I want? _Zexion didn't know what he wanted, just then. Reassurance, love, satisfaction; all of those seemed like valid and relevant wants, but what was it he wanted. It was too hard to think about that with his head spinning the way it was. What he wanted was to be sober when he was with someone he didn't trust to stay with him so that he could remember it all.

Water; that was something he wanted right now. Except that was when Axel really kissed him, causing the fleeting realization to vanish completely as he kissed the red head back as passionately as he could with his own body fighting against him.

The moan that slipped between their lips couldn't be helped, and neither could the fact that he was losing small increments of time. First he recalled Axel's fingers tracing his face and neck, and then his hand was suddenly down by Zexion's waist. He moaned again, but part of his mind wondered why the red head had suddenly touched him there instead of trailing down and teasing a little like he usually did.

It was very difficult however for Zexion to care about why when he was so aroused and had been for so long. He wrapped his hands around Axel's neck, sliding a knee up to rub against the taller man's groin, and pulling himself closer, kissing the redhead hard. If he just shut his brain off and reacted, this would be fine, he was sure.

So at some point he found himself on top of Axel, straddling him and still kissing him like he might die if he went without the taste of him for longer than a second. _That was far more satisfying at least_, he thought, rubbing his aching erection against a growing hardness beneath Axel's pants. _Finally_.

o - o

He hadn't meant to get this deep in again tonight. Not when Roxas was expected to return. Not when Zexion was this drunk.

Axel couldn't honestly say why Zexion being drunk mattered. Maybe it was the simple fact that he wasn't drunk as well. Whatever the case, Zexion looked vulnerable and needy. It made Axel hot, but also cautious.

"Are you sure all you had was alcohol, Zex?" he asked again. Not that he didn't trust Roxas' word. He'd just never seen Zexion so fucked up. He may very well have been their first night together, but Axel hadn't been paying particular attention to Zexion's mental state at that stage, in all honesty.

Zexion's insistent actions won out over Axel's hesitations however and before he knew it, he was letting the blue haired college student straddle him, rubbing his hard-on against the growing bulge in Axel's own pants.

Too tight. Too far away between clothing. With a low growl into Zexion's mouth, Axel unbuttoned the younger man's jeans, undid the zipper, and slid his hand into the open space between jeans and boxers. There he rubbed, providing extra teasing friction, feeling the man above him throb beneath his fingers in a completely erotic way.

He wasted very little time sliding Zexion's pants and boxers down to his thighs. Then, with a sly smile, Axel slid under the arch that Zexion was making with his torso and arms until his face was directly beneath the man's lap. For a moment, he just took in the musky, masculine scent with relish. The moment was up as soon as Axel opened his mouth and took Zexion's head between hot, willing lips.

o - o

By the time Axel was touching his body, Zexion was beyond ready to go; he was starving for the red head's touch. Maybe there was a part of him that craved water more than anything else, but it was steadily being quieted as red head finally began to touch him in return.

He had to wonder when Axel had managed to get rid of the fabric between them at one point when the taller male first began to touch him, and then wondered what happened to his pants when the red head slid beneath him and away because he could feel fabric on his bare skin. The next thing that he felt sent shivers down his spine so violently that he forgot about everything else. Heat swallowed him whole, and began to add the kind of pressure that made him moan out loud for more.

Losing his balance slightly as his limbs began to tremble, Zexion found himself leaning against the top of his head, still trying to watch Axel while managing not to fall over at the same time. Surely there was a time in his life when the two things had not been so difficult.

There was another thing about being drunk that had him distracted though, because before this he was positive that he had had a reason for holding out, for not wanting to finish too soon or before he'd had a chance to help Axel in some way. Tonight, however, he had a little bit of a problem. Not only was Zexion drunk enough to be missing moments in his memory, but he was drunk enough to have very little willpower at that particular point in time.

He could feel himself struggling to keep from finishing too soon, but it was no use. Already the tightening in his body was reaching a critical point, and during a very loud moan that followed he tried to communicate to his partner that he was going to finish, apologizing in the same breath.

o - o

Now would have been an opportune time to let up. Now Axel should have slid his lips off Zexion and slowed. If he wanted to fuck him into the mattress, he knew he needed to stop now while Zexion still had something left in him to release.

More than his own want though, more than even need, Axel found he wanted to hold the man above him after his climax. He wanted to make sure Zexion was alright, that he had enjoyed it. That, hours after Axel himself would have to leave, Zexion would be able to rest peacefully on his own.

This was perhaps the first time in Axel's life that he had put the interests of another before his own, even if he didn't realize it yet in the least.

His partner was groaning, almost whimpering above him, and it was making his own erection an agony to endure beneath tight pants as a consequence. With practiced adeptness, Axel didn't miss a beat with his mouth as he freed himself to release some of the unwanted tightness.

But now wasn't the time to focus on himself. Slowing just long enough pull up and off, Axel murmured an order to Zexion in the deepest, sultriest of tones.

"Fuck my mouth," he practically purred. "I want to taste every last drop when you come."

He opened wide, deep throating Zexion's erection, before sliding on up to his head in a smooth, languid motion. Then, he waited, and when Zexion initially didn't move to comply, Axel helped him, gently moving Zexion's hips with his own hands, slowly thrusting them forward to press the man's cock further down his own throat. Then back and forth until he thought Zexion could do it on his own.

The taste of salt was sudden on Axel's tongue, an indication that Zexion was close. Automatically, one hand rose to fondle tight balls while another slipped up to Zexion's backside, his fingers playing across the seam between Zexion's legs, teasing around his entrance.

_Come for me_, Axel thought, anticipating the release. C_ome for me, and then I'll hold you._

o - o

He would've stopped to ask Axel to repeat what he'd just said if his body had let him. Not because he hadn't heard him, but because Zexion wasn't sure that he believed what he'd heard. Had anyone ever suggested for him to do anything like that before? Well, obviously not, but… had he ever even imagined something like that? No.

When Axel started moving his hips for him, Zexion's body trembled so badly he thought he was going to fall. Instinct gave him rhythm, however, and before long he felt his body moving almost frantically for him, doing precisely what Axel had told him to do.

"Aaaah, god!"

He wasn't the most vocal in bed, even near the end, but he was talking more this time, calling out Axel's name mixed in with loud moans and the occasional mention of a deity he didn't even believe in. The pulsing in his body seemed loud to him now, as though his neighbors could hear him if they weren't out getting drunk tonight, and though they might not have heard it as loudly as Zexion could they would have heard his moaning.

That was it. Suddenly he felt his body jerk and the tension in his stomach release with a few final downward thrusts; he was spent.

He didn't know either how he managed to fall on his side instead of on top of Axel's head, but the next thing he knew he was laying down next to the man. Zexion tried to let his hands explore the body next to his, wanting to reciprocate, and not wanted the redhead to be upset with him for falling asleep without doing something in return. His hands were clumsy though, and his eyes half closed. He tried to mumble a few things, but his lips wouldn't open enough to form the words. Perhaps he would be grateful for that in the morning if he remembered the night at all though, because one of those things was definitely a declaration of love.

o - o

There was so much noise, so much more noise than Zexion had made in any of their last encounters. Suppressing a groan, Axel felt the throbbing in his own cock as a direct result. It wasn't as excruciating as it would've been if he'd still had his pants buttoned, but it was uncomfortable nevertheless.

As Zexion began to follow his guidance, rocking his hips back and forth against Axel's mouth, Axel dropped the hand around Zexion's side and began to stroke himself. It wasn't enough to come, just enough to keep himself distracted from wanting to come while the college junior above him continued to moan deeply and thrust ever more quickly into Axel's mouth.

He was prepared for Zexion's release this time. One hand still on his backside, Axel grasped the base of Zexion's cock with the other as he began to come, milking him with each consecutive stream. Apart from the rare occasion like that one morning in his own penthouse, Axel wasn't accustomed to giving head, generally preferring others to go down on him. The changed position was different, to say the least. Contrary to his prior assumptions though, it didn't feel as demeaning as he'd thought it might, given how submissive all the others had been with him while they were doing it to him in past encounters.

When it was over, it was Axel again who guided the younger man downward, to one side of the bed. Zexion was clearly barely conscious at this point, even still while trying to touch Axel. Gently, Axel caught Zexion's wrists in his hands, determined to lay them to rest. It wasn't going to kill him not to come tonight, and he figured the moment Zexion was asleep, he could relieve himself.

What he hadn't expected though was for Zexion to curl up half on his chest and say _those words_. At least, Axel thought he'd heard those words. They had been mumbled to near incoherency against his chest. Even so, it made Axel stiffen, forgetting entirely about his own aroused discomfort for the time being. First Roxas. Now possibly Zexion? He didn't know how he was going to handle this after tonight.

Eventually, Zexion's breathing slowed to a steady rhythm, indicating sleep. Eventually, Axel's own arousal diminished enough that he could zip back up his pants with only the barest hint of a scowl. He couldn't go to sleep, had to make sure he got home soon before Rude got on his case even further. This he knew. Instead, he merely settled in, stroking Zexion's sweat dampened hair gently, taking in the subtle scent of what remained.

It was like this how Roxas found the pair when he returned from his errands run. For the time being, Axel merely watched the blond in silence as he entered, discreetly curious to gauge a reaction to whatever he assumed had taken place in the time between his departure and subsequent return.

o - o

Jealousy; that one he expected to feel and it was normal. Roxas was pretty sure he'd prepared himself for it, especially if Axel had ended up agreeing to his proposal. What he hadn't expected was the way seeing the two curled up in each other's arms made him feel when he returned. What Roxas did not expect was to feel, well… good about that.

So the slight grin that he was trying to hide was real, as was the little spark of longing that lit in his chest and quickly became a wildfire. He wanted to curl up there, with both of them, feeling arms around him as he wrapped his own arms around one or the other.

If there had been doubts in his mind before, this quelled them almost instantly. There was just one thing, and that was that he wished he could have joined them. It was too soon for that, however, because now they (or most likely he alone) would have to talk to Zexion and get his sober approval before trying to figure out exactly how this was going to work. That and Roxas was pretty sure that he and the blue-haired bartender needed to go on a couple of dates before Zexion could really make more than just a preliminary decision either way.

So, having unlocked the door with his borrowed keys, Roxas found himself closing it quietly behind him, sliding the lock in place as carefully as possible, and setting the supplies on the drunk man's desk before turning to both of them curled up on the bed together. What to do…

He couldn't curl up with them before that would wake Zexion. Then again, he really should be woken up so that he could drink some water and eat a banana or a piece of bread. Roxas had set tomorrow aside to care for the older student, if Zexion let him, but that didn't mean that he wanted to allow him to be so miserable that he spent the day throwing up. He was sure the blue-haired man wouldn't thank him for a lost day of studying.

Of course, not knowing what he was allowed to do or what he should do made Roxas stand there in uncomfortable silence for a moment, just looking at Axel and Zexion and wishing… that was when another little plan began to form in his mind. It could work. After all, he owed both Zexion and Axel something, both of which were very different, and would work very well when done together. Hrmm…

So he settled for a mildly accusing, whispered tone that would work for now, something that didn't sound angry, but that still chastised all the same. "You let him fall asleep?"

o - o

Axel raised an eyebrow at the approaching blond.

"He was half passed out before I even arrived. What do _you_ think?"

Perhaps it was cruel, but he still couldn't help being slightly cold toward the only man in his life who he had truly cared about other than Zexion. Caring was a liability, and it hadn't worked out at all very well with Roxas beforehand, in Axel's mind. Just knowing he had the opportunity to better that would take time to sink in.

Slowly, carefully, Axel lifted Zexion up so he could escape from beneath the blue-haired student, resting him back onto the bed on his own as gently as possible. He was still feeling uncomfortable from the unsatisfied arousal he'd experienced not long before, but his expression was anything if not bland at the moment. Uninterested, as it usually was.

"I have to go," he said, speaking quietly, the words revealing nothing other than their intended meaning. "It was hard enough to get out without a detail right now anyway," he muttered, straightening his jacket and zipping it back up.

As he approached the blond, Axel kept his expression cool and neutral, although there wasn't any malice behind his eyes either. He still wasn't sure about this whole proposition, still wasn't sure if he trusted that Roxas wouldn't leave again.

Then, he cracked his first rueful smile of the evening, keeping his gaze still intent on his ex. "You let me know when you've got this threesome thing figured out though, alright?"

o - o

Roxas resisted the urge to roll his eyes at Axel's comment, reminding himself that he'd had to look up the definition and finer details of polyamory himself. Besides, despite the feelings of anger that had been invoked earlier in the night, it was still difficult for him to remain angry with the redhead while they stood face-to-face like this; especially not with the taller man smiling like that.

Without thinking about what he was doing, something he would kick himself for later, he felt his hand reaching up with the intention of caressing Axel's cheek. Grinning a bit ruefully himself, he glanced back towards Zexion.

"Just gotta talk to him sober," he replied, before returning his gaze to a vivid pair of green eyes. "That conversation would be easier, you know, if you were present. Your… work… really can be very inconvenient sometimes."

He wanted to ask, but he wasn't sure if he should. Things were going so well tonight, why spoil them? Then again, when would he ask if not now? Wouldn't now be the perfect time to do it?

Roxas opened his mouth once, but closed it. Then inhaled, opened it again, and hesitated, looking at the ground somewhere between them before finally mumbling his question. Maybe Axel wouldn't hear it, but then again he wanted an answer.

"Why didn't you come looking for me? I-you know… I know you could have come after me if you'd wanted to."

o - o

It was just a momentary thing, Roxas' touch, yet the feeling lingered long after he'd pulled his hand away. For one brief moment, Axel considered grabbing the wayward hand, pressing the small fingers to his lips.

The moment passed too soon, and Roxas was speaking again in low tones.

"Find a time we can all make, and I'll try to be here. Off-campus would be better," he replied. "Not that my presence is going to help much…" The last thought was muttered, more to himself than anything.

Zexion was smart. Would he know what this business Roxas was talking about now all meant? Would it make him angry to find out Axel wanted to share? If it were anyone other than Roxas, Axel knew he wouldn't be in this situation right now. The blond still had some indiscernible power over him though, something that Axel didn't understand at all.

And then the question, the one Axel had somehow known was coming at some point.

"I knew where you were," he said simply. It was true. Roxas had disappeared so suddenly Axel had needed to know he was alright. When he'd gotten the news, he'd simply been too hurt to consider confronting the younger student at the time. "You gave me no warning, just left without even giving a reason. What was I supposed to think other than you'd lost interest, especially when you came back with still no contact?"

There was no derision in his voice this time as Axel kept his tone soft. It just simply was what it was. When the man he'd hired to search down Roxas had returned within hours to report his whereabouts, it had stung to know Roxas had left without letting him know the where or why. When he'd been informed of Roxas' return, it would have hurt more, if not for Zexion's continued presence in his life.

Now he looked at Roxas with a sense of exhausted defeat on the matter. It had been months since they'd been together, months since they'd really even meaningfully touched. Axel wasn't one to let feelings get in the way of his physical desires, but with Roxas it'd always been different. It'd never been about what either of them could do to serve the other in a physical way. They hadn't gotten that far while they'd been together. More than anything at this point, Axel just wanted to know how what Roxas had proposed would even work.

o - o

Roxas couldn't make himself look at Axel now. So he continued looking at the ground between their feet as though it held some sort of answers for him as he replied.

"I was just so angry…" he began, trailing off. "And you never came after me, so I figured maybe… I don't know."

He resisted the urge to ball his hands into fists, frustrated with himself for saying that much. No, this whole mess with Axel, this possible new thing with Zexion; they couldn't talk about this until they knew for sure there was a point to the conversation.

"Anyway, I'll talk to him tomorrow," he said, changing the subject. "If you want to be there, to… er, influence his decision or something. I can have him call you again."

That was definitely a blow if ever there was one. How could Roxas have gotten ahold of Axel when he came back without the red head's phone number? That was definitely a problem considering he couldn't exactly show up on the taller man's doorstep. Then again, why was he just thinking that question to himself? Here stood the very man he should be asking. Feeling bolder, more himself, Roxas lifted his chin looking directly into Axel's green eyes.

"How was I supposed to contact you after I came back into town, huh?" His tone was hushed, but the new realization angered him a little. "Even when I started looking for you it took me a while to stumble across you, and only by accident on a night I couldn't go anywhere near you because you never gave me your phone number."

He hadn't meant to sound so accusatory, but that little bit of information had definitely hit him hard when Zexion had drunkenly spilled that he had Axel's phone number. Still hurt a little actually. What did the red head want from him, and why was it that the man passed out drunk right now got all of these things before him? All Roxas had wanted before was a sign that he wasn't just some fling that Axel would toss out as soon as he got what he wanted, then Ventus… the whole thing was a total mess. How would his little plan fix any of it?

o - o

Perturbed, Axel crossed his arms over his chest. Roxas had wanted him to come after him? Not for the first time this evening, Axel wondered where Roxas was getting these misconceptions about him and the way he handled relationships.

Go after him. Jesus. It wasn't like he could send out henchmen and drag an unwilling date back kicking and screaming if they didn't want to return.

Perhaps he could do just that, point in fact, but he never had. Axel knew better than to waste his family's resources on emotional affairs that brought about no financial gain. Apparently Roxas wasn't aware of that though.

He kept quiet however, opening his mouth only to respond to Roxas' next comment. "I have some business to deal with in the morning," he said. _A branding, actually_. "Nothing going on yet in the afternoon though, if you want to find a place off-campus. Or just talk to him yourself. You're obviously not lacking in persuasiveness." The last comment was said with a wry hint of a smile.

He had turned to go, was halfway to the door, when Roxas' next words tumbled out. For a moment, Axel stood, impassive and silent near the entrance to Zexion's room.

"You want my phone number," he said, the sentence neutral, neither an actual question nor an outright statement on his part. A hand slid up to his hip as he considered the younger man's outburst. When he spoke again, there was no anger in his tone, just simple exhaustion, perhaps even a hint of bewilderment. "You know, Roxas, you could have just asked…"

o - o

His face was flushed red, and Roxas was actually afraid to turn around to look at Axel now. Why hadn't he asked before? Well, because he knew, or was afraid maybe, that the red head would have denied him, and he couldn't take that before. Take charge with the man when it came to his own body, maybe, but be rejected when he had fast fallen for someone he already knew he shouldn't have, no.

But then something else occurred to him rather suddenly, and almost painfully. Perhaps he didn't know the bartender well enough yet, but he didn't seem the type to exchange information unless someone else began the ritual. In fact, Roxas was prepared to bet everything he and his family owned that Zexion was not the one to initiate that exchange of information. This made the blond feel rather defiant, and more than a little bit spurned, therefore angry.

"Did Zexion have to ask?" he countered, turning to catch the expression on Axel's face if the man were to offer him one.

He really didn't want to know, but it was in his nature to stand up for himself, to fight bullies, even when the tormenter had a point. Roxas, however he had come to realize he felt about this man, could not prevent himself from seeing Axel as a bully even now. Looking directly at the redhead now, the shorter blond practically dared the taller man to lie, waiting and wishing he was wrong.

o - o

Roxas was absolutely something else when he was feeling defiant, and it shot a strange, pleasurable twinge through Axel, despite his knowledge that he needed to get going if he didn't want Rude to report him. Did Roxas really care that much about him? They hadn't even had sex yet.

Without thinking, Axel moved forward, arms wrapping around Roxas' thin shoulders, lips crushing against his in a ravenous way that spoke of months of longing. Months without that needed contact.

By the time he was through, his voice was tender, lips against Roxas' left ear. "No, he didn't have to ask," Axel breathed, his voice a hushed implication of unmet needs for the evening.

"Zexion and I have also consummated our relationship a little more than you and I have though. Keep that in mind."

Then a shifting, just slightly, as Axel's lips grazed the base of the blond's narrow throat. Across the collarbone, up to his jaw, then back to his ear, savoring every moment since their last real contact from months prior.

Then seven digits. Seven simple digits. He whispered them slowly, repeating them only once to make sure Roxas had heard.

There. Now Roxas had very little to complain about, in Axel's mind. Numbers, promises. "Make sure you have that memorized," he almost purred against the blond's high cheekbone.

A moment later, he had moved away, hand reaching out to grasp the door handle that would be his first step back toward home.


	12. First Date on a Beat

Zexion was feeling kind of lost. On the one hand, here were these two really handsome men with him, both of whom were interested in being in a relationship with him. On the other hand… well, he didn't feel as though he really had a choice; not really. Axel had a way of looking at the blond one as though he'd just found something he'd lost and very much missed while it was gone, and Roxas looked at Axel with a sort of wide eyed innocence that mixed itself with something else far more intense. Zexion could read it, but that didn't mean he understood the language. This whole situation was messing with his brain.

He could stand up for himself here, really think about it and say he did or did not want something, but what if Axel chose Roxas over him? It didn't seem like Roxas was trying to steal the redhead away, but if Zexion forced a choice… he was unsure of himself enough in this situation to know that he didn't want to experiment with that option.

So that must be why he found himself between two very attractive men at a club, something he never would've chosen to go to had the option been left solely up to Zexion, and swallowing down something that would make this experience much, much easier. He was sure there were brain cells suffering needlessly, but lately it seemed that alcohol was the best answer he could find. No wonder his colleagues avoided romantic entanglements. It was hard to keep a love-mussed mind on one's studies when your loved one - loved _ones_ \- were constantly throwing new obstacles into your path to think on. So Zexion found himself turning to inebriation… again.

There was also a dance floor, and moving, grinding hips that found his again and again. Sometimes he was in the middle, sometimes he was on an end, though as someone who'd never gone out dancing before it was lucky that he never found himself being left out of this strange threesome because he would have simply stood aside watching awkwardly. Instead, when he wasn't in the middle it was Axel or Roxas's hands that found his hips, and pulled him into the grouping. So really, he couldn't complain could he? He was never left out.

That included, of course, things that he was still trying to decide whether he was okay with or not; like kissing Roxas.

Axel didn't seem to mind because that hungry look in his eyes whenever Zexion's slid sideways to gauge his reaction to having another man kissing him did not look as possessive as the blue-haired college student had expected, or maybe wanted. There was a jealous glint there, but it seemed so small that it might not even be there at all. And who was he jealous of or for, anyways? It could be either one of them. After all, it seemed like Roxas was paying more attention to Zexion than to Axel, not that the red head was being ignored in the slightest, but it seemed to him that the blond was looking at the red head but touching Zexion most often.

He'd had enough drinks now though that it was hard to keep track, and that was precisely what he wanted. Thinking was getting too hard when it came to this situation. How would logic save him now? No, Zexion knew that he had to go with the flow or be left by the wayside… and for once in his life he cared. He didn't want Axel to leave him… which meant he didn't want Roxas to go, either.

o - o

What was Roxas' game in all of this, Axel wondered, not for the first time.

Did he truly want this poly-whatever threesome relationship, or was this just some elaborate way to get Axel back for not having gone after him when he'd disappeared a few months back? Axel couldn't tell, and every time he found Roxas wedged between him and Zexion on the dance floor — every time Roxas slipped up to him, eyes sultry, hips grinding — Axel found himself losing his train of thought, wanting to take both of them back to his penthouse for the evening.

But then what? Axel might have been experienced with male relations, but he'd never had a threesome. Not with three guys, at any rate. The girls had been Reno's idea, and thank fuck for alcohol and the fact that a stimulating touch was a stimulating touch, regardless of the gender providing the stimulation. He hadn't had to do much of anything himself throughout that encounter.

But three men were different. Three men were a mystery, but a desirable one to Axel, most definitely. He knew what sex was like with Zexion already, anticipating the next opportunity to be with the college student in that way after every encounter. Roxas was a toss-up though. He hadn't so much as seen the young blond naked at this point, although the ripples of tight, lean muscle beneath his shirt the one time they'd made out heavily enough for Axel to have experienced it still stood out quite clearly in Axel's mind.

So why was Roxas focusing on Zexion then when it came to touching? Why was Roxas shooting him such sultry looks but backing away, pressing Zexion into him whenever Axel's hands moved to touch him?

The club was crowded, with everyone pressing against everyone, Axel knew. But Roxas' actions seemed deliberate in some way, and it was beginning to irritate.

Out of the corner of his eye, Axel saw one of his personal security detail watching, expression guarded. These were his men this time, not his father's. Not Rude. They wouldn't say anything or report back, because there was no one to report back to, as far as Axel was concerned. They'd given their oath to him, not his father, and he'd branded them personally. Their lives were in his hands, and all of them knew it.

Now, if only his father would've insisted Tonio swear an oath to his family as well…

The scowl emerged automatically on Axel's face as the thought passed through his mind.

Fuck Tonio, though. This wasn't what he should be thinking about right now.

Frustrated at his own distracted thoughts, Axel grabbed the closest of the two men, pulling them to him by the waist, lips pressing against Zexion's hard as his tongue slipped between open lips. Zexion tasted of alcohol, but not nearly so much as he'd had the last time they'd been together. Small miracles to be thankful for, he supposed.

Leaning over, Axel kissed the younger man's neck, hips grinding slowly against him to the rhythm of the current song. Vaguely, he could feel Roxas' hand against his waist, lap no doubt pressed up against Zexion's backside as they danced together. "Try not to drink too much tonight," Axel whispered into Zexion's ear, lips rising into a smirk. "I like my dates conscious during sex."

o - o

Roxas was debating something, and his decision was still up in the air. He'd thought for a very, very long time that he would lose his virginity to Axel; he'd decided to at one point but that hadn't happened. Tonight they had all agreed on a date, a place to go where they could get to know each other better. The problem was that Roxas knew full well what that entailed with Axel, and if he had begun dating this other college student that likely meant the same thing for Zexion as well. Was he ready to just do that… tonight?

He didn't know.

The music was loud, intoxicating. He felt himself dragging Zexion to the dancefloor at one point, knowing Axel would follow at least one of them, and getting lost in the rhythm. Three heated bodies taking turns rubbing up against one another. At one point Axel had gotten ahold of his hips and pressed into him, and, stars above, how Roxas had missed those demanding hands.

It was these hands he'd almost surrendered to so often; these hands that had nearly forced him into submission before he was ready. Now, well… was he ready now?

He'd been avoiding Axel, trying to make Zexion feel wanted and ensure the blue-haired man never got left out between two men who really were more aggressive in their actions than the bartender seemed to be, and purposefully avoiding the redhead while he thought. Well, maybe he would decide as he went tonight. Perhaps it would be enough to let things happen tonight, and work out a plan for the way he should be treating Axel later. How far could he go, and then would he be able to go back if he went further than he was ready to go?

Another drink would ease his mind, then maybe another. It was easy to get them from the other two men right now, even though he couldn't technically purchase them for himself yet. Zexion didn't need any more alcohol, so Roxas was doing him a favor by stealing his drinks and finishing them for him. No one else seemed to have noticed, though. That was a good thing… right?

Roxas, letting his buzz carry him, leaned into Zexion from behind, grasping onto his waist and hanging on as Axel, he assumed, led them to a violently bouncy beat. Moaning once at the accidental friction it created, the blond let his head fall back, eyes closed, enjoying the beat and the movement it created. When he came back to upright, Axel was right there, leaning over Zexion's shoulder, and Roxas couldn't wait anymore. Slightly on his toes, he used his face to nuzzle Axel's before kissing him somewhat sloppily and hard over the bartender's shoulder.

It was kind of a confusing gesture, really. His fingers tightened in the fabric they were holding onto pulling the body in front of him closer against him, but… Axel still had control over his own body. Frustrating, but also a little exciting.

He'd kissed Zexion… a lot, and those blue eyes, not quite his shade of blue, had closed contently as though appreciating Roxas's lips on his, but still he worried. Could they each do this without making anyone feel left out? He didn't care how they managed this, but if anything was important to Roxas it was making this work so that no one was left unhappy. Maybe Axel's punishment could wait… after all, what if he changed his mind?

o - o

Even when Roxas kissed hard, he could still feel the sweet tenderness in the younger man's actions. He met the kiss eagerly, returning it with a harder one of his own. While one hand remained on Zexion's waist, the other found its way to Roxas' ass. Axel had wanted to pull the boy closer, but with Zexion between them, it would've been too difficult given their height differences.

Instead, he let his fingers slide a little over the seam of Roxas' jeans, pulling away from Roxas just enough to give him a suggestive look. _Imagine what I can do. Imagine what I can make you feel, how hard I can make you…_

Zexion moaned, stopping Axel's thoughts in his tracks as he felt his own arousal grow. With a low growl, he slid his hands up to Roxas' lower back, crushing him closer to the other two by default.

"Feel good?" he asked Zexion, his lips playing over the other man's ear, nipping lightly at his ear lobe and the point on his neck just below.

"Maybe we should think about taking this elsewhere," he said, addressing Roxas in the next response more than Zexion. Zexion would come home with him no matter what. Of that Axel was certain. It was Roxas who was the question mark. Roxas who he had to convince.

o - o

Arousal was an interesting thing. Zexion had felt mostly uncomfortable before, needing a drink or several to make sure that he chased away that horrible uncertain feeling that was making this night difficult for him. It was still there, of course. However there was a distinct change now, with one man he knew pressed against his front, kissing him before teasing his ear and neck, and another aroused man pressed against his back. Two sets of hands were on his body in different locations, and he didn't know whose hands belonged to whom anymore, nor did he care.

At long last, it was Axel who finally suggested they go home, or well… 'elsewhere.' Zexion groaned in agreement, needing to get the hell out of there now and do something about the steadily building frustration. Roxas was behind him though, and the decision seemed to have been left up to him as Zexion just waited, unable to stop himself from grinding into Axel.

"Uh," came an uncertain noise over his shoulder, and Zexion didn't even have to be able to see Axel's face to know that he would be disappointed or frustrated if Roxas hesitated any longer.

Well, he didn't know the blond very well yet, though they'd been doing things like going to dinner and studying in the same room together to get to know one another over the past couple of weeks since the decision was made. However, what was surprising to Zexion was that he hadn't been thrown on a bed or up against the wall while alone with the blond. Instead, Roxas had remained very polite, giving him warning before kissing him, sometimes even asking permission.

These things made Zexion want to be attacked by the blond, and not at the same time. His chest fluttered but he hesitated. It still felt oddly like cheating, even with Axel's permission. Now, he had Axel touching him, and kissing Roxas over his shoulder. He had the blond grinding up against his back, and the redhead pressing against his groin. If now wasn't the time to do something a little bit crazy, Zexion didn't know when it would ever feel right.

So he used his hands to press Axel away from him, just a little bit, and turned himself around, feeling all sides of his body pressed against by both men as he spun around in their arms. Roxas was nearly at eye-level for him, only a little bit shorter as opposed to Axel who stood a head taller. It made Zexion feel strangely powerful to be taller, if only just, and without thinking about it, he threw his arms around Roxas's neck, kissing him wildly and thanking whichever man accidentally discovered alcohol in the back of his buzzing brain.

"Come on, Roxas," he said, spurred by pressure against his backside to grind against the blond. "Let's get out of here."

Blue eyes hesitated, shifting to the side, but not quite managing to break Zexion's gaze. They looked… terrified. The bartender pulled back a little, about to ask why or if he'd done something wrong, but Roxas leaned forward then, closing his eyes and kissing him back almost… submissively. Then the blond broke away, looked up over Zexion's shoulder and back at him before nodding once resolutely.

Whatever it was the blond said was drowned out by the music and the noise around them, but Zexion thought it looked like, "Okay. Now's as good as any." …or had that last word been "virginity"?

o - o

Jealousy and arousal tumbled one over the other as Axel watched Zexion and Roxas kiss. He wanted them both in some way, and at the moment, those wide, fearful blue eyes were pushing him over the edge. How hot would Roxas look, on his knees in front of Axel, unzipping his pants, licking his lips before…

With one curt nod, it seemed Roxas had made his decision, and Axel took Zexion's hand almost immediately, pulling the man forward and off of the dance floor. As they made their way to the exit, three men followed closely behind, prompting a noticeable look of apprehension from the slate haired bartender.

Once they'd cleared the club's entranceway, Axel turned, more for Zexion's benefit than anyone else's, and addressed the men as one. "We're leaving," he said. "Once I get back home, your time is probably better spent up at my father's estate."

The closest detailman, dark-haired Vincent, nodded acknowledgement, but remained silent. By his side, Zexion seemed to almost curl into Axel's arm even further. Perhaps he was frightened? Axel couldn't say. Nor did he have time to try to interpret the man's feelings, particularly not in front of bound men. He'd learned long ago not to show his weaknesses publicly. It was impossible to know who'd be willing to take advantage of them.

He signaled his driver, and a moment later, the trio was settling into the backseat. Without warning, he reached for Zexion again, pulling the bartender onto his lap as Axel opened his mouth, slid his tongue into Zexion's. Out of the corner of one eye, he saw Roxas staring. Axel looked back, a lustfully suggestive expression on his face, before returning his attentions back to Zexion. The attention may have seemed complete, if not for the long slender fingers that found their way to Roxas' thigh. Still kissing Zexion, Axel slid his hand upward, fluttering his fingers as he went in search of the heat source he could already feel through Roxas' pants.

He found it at the same moment that small, almost delicate fingers wrapped around his wrist. They sent a thrill through Axel's body, and he found himself grinding up against Zexion even harder. Unperturbed by the slight restraint though, Axel slid his free hand forward over Roxas' lap, and began to gently rub.

o - o

Jealousy was normal. He'd read about this stuff, and in the beginning jealousy was normal. So was the whole thing about how arousing it was to watch the two men he felt so attracted to making out almost right on top of him.

Roxas's hand twitched, wanting to reach out and touch one or both men, but that's when Axel's hand found his thigh. He hadn't been expecting attention once the redhead had taken possession of the blue haired man, and it nearly had him jumping out of his skin. It soon became abundantly clear where that hand was heading however, and the blond found himself grabbing hold of Axel's wrist though whether it was to prevent or to direct he no longer knew.

Then there was friction, and he was gasping and his breath was hitching in his throat, eyes slipping half closed as the blond still tried to keep his eyes open enough to watch the show in front of him. He didn't know what he was going to do when he got there, but there were ways to avoid being… losing… if he found that he couldn't do it. He wasn't that innocent, just…

There was a moment of separation, when the car stopped and doors opened and cold air interrupted hot blood running beneath thin skin. There was an elevator, unoccupied so that fondling was rough and needy. Then there was a hallway, a door, and a dark room that he only saw for a moment before the door was shut and locked tightly behind him.

The next thing Roxas knew, there was a wall at his back and lips on his and too many hands touching him for it to be one man alone. He didn't know who had kissed him because no lights had gone on, but he knew that he didn't want it to stop.

It did stop, however, then hands were slipping under the fabric of his shirt, tugging at it until it slid over his skin, unsettling the bumps on his skin that had begun to settle down now that the cold air was gone, and causing goose bumps to break out all over his body. The blond found his hands struggling with clothes in front of him, and two bodies… all taking turns unshirting one another. Then suddenly hands were roughly familiarizing themselves with his body, and another gently searching it. His hands were on two chests, one too tall and very hard, the other long and sleek and easy to reach.

It was hard to tell who was moaning or whose lips belonged to whom, but one word finally paused everything and everything began to become clear for Roxas. "Bedroom." Without hesitation, he allowed two bodies to lead him in that direction, needing for something to happen soon before the tightness at his groin and the need that was coursing through his veins made him explode. Then… did Axel still have those handcuffs in his bedside drawer? Was that this place or had it been somewhere else?

o - o

As usual, the doorman greeted Axel with a polite but neutral expression. As he should. For the amount of service fees Axel paid in this place, he should be able to bring a veritable orgy of people hanging off him upstairs without so much as a raised eyebrow.

And then they were home, and he was pressing up against Roxas, forcing his shirt upward, raking fingernails over exposed flesh. Beautiful, pale flesh that he'd longed to see and touch since the one and only time he'd gotten a feel of when they'd been just starting their relationship.

Then it was Zexion's shirt that was off, then Axel's, exposing dark black tattoos on his upper shoulder, snaking down beneath his waist.

"Bedroom," he said, his voice husky with want. They complied automatically, and even the willingness to follow orders was a serious turn-on for Axel.

With Zexion kissing the back of Roxas' bare shoulder, Axel wrapped his arms around the blond's waist, pulling him to a straddle on top as Axel lowered himself onto his back on his bed. Nails scraping teasingly down Roxas' back, Axel attacked Roxas' neck, biting and sucking with abandon. A teasing leg slid up, pressing against Roxas' obvious erection beneath his jeans.

_Moan_, Axel silently ordered. _Moan for me. I want to hear how much you want this._

He could feel Zexion pulling at Roxas' jeans in a strange role reversal from the last time he and the bartender had been alone in his home together. He'd waited so long for this, it felt, particularly in comparison with anyone else he'd ever shown an interest in before. And now Roxas was being stripped right before him, the pretty boy from the wealthy family. The chaste one. The inexperienced.

A smirk lighting up his features, Axel moved to one ear. "Feel good?" he asked, repeating the words he'd said earlier. This time they were meant for blond hair and blue eyes alone, a pointed promise he knew Zexion was already aware of. "It'll feel better soon enough," he said, his lips linger near Roxas' neck for a moment, before he pulled the blond down further, harder against him.

o - o

He could feel the body beneath his hands trembling as he undid the belt at the blond's waist and the button beneath it. Zexion let the vibrations of the zipper run down the front of Roxas's body as he unzipped the blond's pants though, knowing that feeling well and wanting to watch the reaction it would get. The moan was surprisingly rewarding and arousing, suddenly overpowering the jealousy he'd felt upon closing the door behind them.

It was only fair, really. If this was an equal relationship between three men that Roxas get the same kind of attention that he had been getting at the club all night, wasn't it? He was jealous, but he was curious, too. Spurred on by an erection he'd had since sometime before his last drink.

He undid the front of his own pants without removing them to relieve some of the pressure as he moved around behind Roxas, kissing his shoulder and rubbing up against the blond's backside out of sheer instinct alone. His hands found the sides of both men, and he fondled whatever skin was available as they both moved until they were so tight against each other that he couldn't fit very well.

Luckily, he was too buzzed from both alcohol and arousal to feel too left out at the moment, contenting himself with grabbing Roxas's hips and grinding into them, as the blond finally released a low moan that went right to Zexion's crotch. Who had pulled that one from his throat: Zexion or Axel?

At the moment it didn't matter, but part of the blue-haired bartender was worried about this scenario. Not as much about the jealousy or of possibly being left out of this entirely, but for Roxas. The blond was trembling so hard now that it almost vibrated through the zipper of Zexion's jeans and into his skin.

He felt Roxas's hand jerk to the side, towards the bedside table, but he grabbed hold of the blond's wrist stopping him. Zexion was freer; he could get the supplies they would need. So pressing his new partner back towards Axel, the blue haired man headed for the drawer he remembered held the things that would make the night more pleasant for all three of them only feeling a little surprised at some of the things he hadn't known were in there.

o - o

The blond was trembling above him. Axel couldn't tell if it was fear or arousal, although he figured it was a combination of both. Hadn't Zexion been a little fearful their first time together? He'd also been far drunker than Roxas was now though.

He considered giving Roxas some gentle encouragement, reassuring him it wouldn't hurt too much. But the words stuck in his throat, only one finding footing with actual speech.

"Roxas…" he breathed his ex's name with longing, before pressing their lips together again, tongue gently but insistently opening Roxas' mouth, exploring his depths.

In and out Axel slid his tongue, simulating a much gentler version of what he planned to do later. Feeling Zexion shift by his side and over to his bedside table, Axel turned his attention completely to Roxas, sliding his hands down shoulders, down the bare skin of his back to the waist of his jeans. One hand slipped under, rubbing Roxas firmly but slowly through his boxers, while the other hand tugged, gently pulling the boy's pants down as far as he could to his thighs.

He kept the pace steady, enjoying the occasional moans that were ripped from the blond's throat.

"You like that," he said softly. "Does it feel good when we touch you?" His voice was a soft, silken purr of need, of want. And although Axel wouldn't admit it, the thrill of cupping and rubbing Roxas' erection was becoming more than enough to make his own cock ache within tight boxers and even tighter pants.

o - o

The moment Zexion stopped him, Roxas lost his nerve to stop the man he'd spent several months being angry with. Why had he gone back to the redhead in the first place? Why had he searched him out and put himself back into this sort of situation? Because beyond all reason, Roxas loved Axel.

Could he love Zexion, too? That was a realization that would have to come later as the two men got to know one another better, unfortunately. For now, Roxas felt like he had more than enough to deal with just having Axel press him steadily toward a line he'd drawn in the sand between them in their relationship a long time ago. He was nervous.

What if…? But then Axel was touching him, and the moans he'd been feeling too insecure to give out before were being ripped from his throat and he was jerkily thrusting into the steady hand that was gripping him.

The answer to the question Axel asked him was automatic. Roxas wasn't thinking as well as he'd like anymore, he was reacting. "Nnnng, yesss."

He didn't notice that his nails were digging into Axel's arms, or that Zexion had moved back beside them both with supplies. Roxas closed his eyes tight, feeling like a complete idiot, maybe just like a virgin actually, because he'd had other guys touch him like this before and he'd had other guys' mouths around his cock before. So why were Axel's hands making him feel like this?

Maybe it was the realization that he might just be losing his virginity tonight. It was also possible that having a third person, someone you were still learning to trust, come up behind you and start touching your body with slick, warm hands was giving him a sensory overload.

It was strange. He'd long been expecting Axel to be his first, and both feared and thrilled at the idea of it all, even though he knew the red head wasn't likely to be gentle. So having Zexion help him slide his pants the rest of the way off from behind, and feeling a covered erection slide up against the back of his body, slowly as if experimenting while Axel teased him from the front was quickly driving him over the edge.

It made him start talking.

"God, Axel… nnng! Zexionnn. I don't… I – I don't… please. Nnnng, be g-gentle with me?"

He couldn't open his eyes, but he could feel Zexion's very slippery fingers sliding around his hips, slowly making their way down his body, as he clung to the red head, trembling half from fear but also half from anticipation now. Roxas wanted someone to start this now… but … at the same time…

o - o

Lustful green eyes opened sharply at the boy's words. These weren't excited. They were fearful. That much he could identify without difficulty.

"You don't what?" he asked, his voice tense, although still soft, still seductive as he gave Roxas a gentle squeeze. And then it was back to teasing, to stringing words together that were meant to excite, not frighten. "Don't want me inside you?" he asked, hand returning to that firm, steady stroking in front of the blond's boxers. "Don't want to come?"

His voice was teasing, fingers of his free hand sliding back to Roxas' currently covered ass. They met Zexion's on the way there, felt the lube already covering his hands with an air of excitement. Gently they stopped, gently they wrapped around Zexion's own fingers and squeezed, letting the bartender know he hadn't been forgotten.

"Or," Axel continued, fingers homing in on the seam of the blond's ass through light fabric, "is it just that you're used to topping? Could that be it?" He lifted himself slightly, kissing along Roxas' jawbone. "I bet if you ask nicely, Zexion will suck you off while I fuck you. Almost the same then, isn't it?" Biting down harder on the blond's tender neck, Axel leaned back, this time fully taking in Roxas' expression with a hint of surprise.

This was more than anticipation, or a little nerves with a new partner. He could see it plainly on the younger man's face.

Deep within him, Axel felt his own cock twitch in his pants at the realization that had just come upon him. God, he needed release, or at least a let-up of pressure. Between Roxas' inadvertent grinding and his own tight jeans, this position was quickly becoming agony with the blond on top of him. It all dimmed though at the blond's terrified expression.

Axel pulled him down suddenly, until Roxas' face was resting next to his, lap grinding into the red-head's unconsciously on the way. His voice was soft when he next spoke. "Or could it be," he began, drawing out his words as though pondering them over. Gently, Axel tangled one set of fingers through the blond's unruly hair, massaging the scalp almost reassuringly. "Could it be that this is the first time you've ever done anything like this at all?"

o - o

Zexion was feeling a tiny bit smug, though he also felt a little bad about that. He knew what was going on with Roxas, or at least he suspected. Someone as confident as this blond man had always been around him, and as commanding as he'd seemed around Axel the few times all three men had been in the same room together wouldn't shiver like this during the heat of the moment unless he was freezing, which would be odd, or he was nervous.

These kinds of nerves would have to have a fairly big reason behind them too, to get more pronounced instead of less so as the hands started fondling areas of the body that craved touches and pressure and heat. But Roxas was trembling harder now; if he wasn't a virgin he had a secret that he was terrified of revealing to partners this intimate with him.

So when he saw a blond finally nod to the very last question, slowly, Zexion felt a little smug. He tried to keep his hands moving on Roxas's lower back, though; soft, reassuring circles keeping a steady rhythm that slowly made its way lower. Maybe it would turn this man on the same way it did for him when Axel did it, though Zexion was pretty sure those brushes to that spot were accidental because they usually happened briefly.

Then a small cracked voice that steadied itself defiantly as it went on broke from Roxas's throat. "I'm not a complete newbie, I just was waiting… for the right guy. That's all." Defensive… and something else. Whatever it was, Zexion didn't see because the blond was facing Axel, but he let his hand trail down pale skin gently, as reassuringly as he knew how, waiting for the redhead to respond, and formulating a reply in case Axel couldn't think of something to say to that.

Suddenly, it was hard for him to feel jealous of the situation at all, just… somehow much more interested in Roxas and in the idea of hearing him moan.

o - o

So, he'd been right at his guess. And why shouldn't he have been? Axel had slept with more than one virgin before. He'd never treated them nicely or really done anything different with the first timers though. Not even with Zexion, now that he thought about it.

Had Zexion acted this frightened though? Axel couldn't remember, but he doubted it. The bartender had been too drunk to have really tensed up enough to make it too utterly painful. Or so Axel had assumed.

He should've realized Roxas was a virgin, given his complete insistence on not taking it too far all those months ago. He hadn't connected the dots before now though, perhaps partly because Roxas had admitted he was in love the last time they'd been together. Maybe love changed things or made things somehow different, Axel had assumed at the time. How would he know either way?

Now he knew though. And something about knowing with Roxas wiped the smirk right off his face. His kisses turned from insistent to gentle, fingers still tangled in yellow hair with one hand, while sliding down to Roxas' boxers with the other.

"And do I," he started, teasing his fingers lightly around the elastic band of Roxas' boxers. Slowly, deliberately, Axel slipped his hand under the band, slid it down between Roxas' legs, massaging gently. "Happen to be," he continued, this time grinding his own confined, hard erection upward against Roxas' lap. "The guy you were waiting for?"

o - o

Saturn's fucking moons, this was humiliating. He was pretty sure he'd never blushed so red in his life. Roxas just knew his face matched Axel's red, red hair, and that was not how he wanted to begin his first time at all. He could feel Zexion's soothing hands trying to calm him, and then the taller man's advances began to change, to soften and deepen instead of pushing.

A long, low moan slipped through his lips as Axel questioned him, and… well, he didn't want to admit this to the red head, not after the whole mess with his brother. There was really no avoiding it now though, was there? He'd already told Axel how he felt about him; this was a natural next step.

So, he did, gasping and moaning at the touches of both men as he tried to get the words out. "Y-yes. Nnnn, I'd plaaaanned for, aaah, us to… b-beforrrre, but…" But I left. He didn't want to say that.

He didn't know what to do here, didn't know how to be an active participant in this sort of thing. Especially not in the position he was currently in, sandwiched between two bodies, and never sure if he was supposed to follow Axel's lead or move away from him and create his own rhythm. This was completely new to him, and his legs kept trembling beneath him at the idea of anyone in-inside…

Really, until he'd met Axel, Roxas had always assumed that he would be the dominant one in his relationships. He'd always started everything, always been in control making his partners follow his lead, except a few times when they'd jumped him first. From the very beginning with Axel though it had been obvious that the redhead would not allow him to dominate without, well… it seemed as though it would be a long time in coming. That scared him more now than Roxas really wanted to admit.

However, the way Axel changed the pace made him feel as though maybe, just maybe, the first time wouldn't be so bad with him after all. And maybe it wouldn't be… but that didn't make his legs tremble any less.

o - o

Although his expression didn't change at Roxas' words, Axel felt a twinge deep within his chest. He _had_ been the one Roxas wanted, even all those months ago.

Part of him was angry, frustrated that Roxas hadn't brought it up back then. He wouldn't have slept around afterward at all if Roxas hadn't left in the first place.

But now he had Zexion. And Roxas too? That's what it seemed like, at any rate. And the thought of being Roxas' first was not something Axel was willing to pass up, unless he was told no outright.

Slowly, gently, he picked Roxas up, flipping their positions on the bed in one swift, practiced movement. Seeing the blond's straining erection, he wanted to strip Roxas now, to thrust into him immediately, maybe hear the blond scream. Instead, Axel slowed, glancing up at Zexion with a meaningful look, as though to say he hadn't forgotten, wouldn't forget him in the end.

Kissing the side of Roxas' face, he breathed heavily again at the thought of being inside. "Stay," he said instead, eyes not yet leaving the prone blond on his bed.

He moved to Zexion now, mouth pressing hard against the bartender's lips, hands guiding Zexion's down to his pants as he reached forward and meant to perform the same action in kind. Zexion's jeans had already been unzipped though, and Axel found himself momentarily massaging the man through his underwear.

Then, without further preamble, he stripped the man, pulling his pants and underwear down, then taking in the blue-haired man's body with a hungry appreciation. Zexion quickly followed suit with Axel, pulling pants and boxers down to his ankles, giving him just enough time to step out of them before lurching forward once more. Hands on one another's members, pumping a few times with vigor, Axel glanced at Roxas just long enough to see he had the blond's rapt attention before leaning in to Zexion, whispering a suggestion of instructions into his ear.

The pair looked over at Roxas, eyes both filled with knowledge the blond didn't yet possess. And then, with a purpose in their individual steps, both men approached.

o - o

Zexion felt so aroused by the idea of starting Roxas's first time that he actually moaned as he stepped up to the edge of the bed. The look in those blue eyes was so, well, _hot_. The blond looked up at him, glancing at Axel, confused but not shying away as Zexion took the blond's arousal into his hands, stroking the base once before squeezing, and slipping the tip between his lips.

Axel hadn't ordered him, he'd simply suggested, and the idea had been more appealing to Zexion than he would have thought outside of this situation. Roxas submitted to his touch, and when Axel's hands began to join in he felt the smooth, pale body in front of him tense in a way that made him ease the pressure he'd been adding with his mouth. Didn't want anyone to finish too soon here, especially when the redhead seemed so intent on making it perfect and gentle.

There was a tiny part of him that was jealous of course, but Axel wasn't ignoring him, either. Not what Zexion had expected in this scenario at all, but he felt… wanted; more a part of this grouping than he had even when it was only him and the red head alone. He wasn't sure why that was exactly, but there was something to that.

It wasn't long before Roxas really began to moan and writhe beneath their combined ministrations, like a finely tuned instrument that had finally been tuned, and was ready to be played. Blue eyes met blue eyes, and though the colors didn't entirely match, their identical expressions of arousal did.

Releasing Roxas's erection, Zexion let his hands trail up that beautiful pale body, curious now and anticipating living vicariously through the blond. It was his own fault that he didn't remember his first time, allowing himself to get drunk like that, but through Roxas he might be able to have a few memories that might have even been better. Alcohol being less involved in this scenario… surprisingly.

Not waiting for Axel, he leaned forward, hands on Roxas's chest as he kissed him, taking in the slightly gaping, pink lips and expression of surprise and want that filled that gorgeous face before their eyes fluttered shut in unison and a low moan began to resonate from beside them.

o - o

Axel hadn't been certain if Zexion would accept the proposition, but he had to admit he was satisfied when the bartender did without complaint. Without commenting himself, Axel watched Zexion approach Roxas, sliding the blond's erect penis out from under tight boxers, and beginning his work.

For a moment, Axel simply watched appreciatively. If Zexion was perfect because he was unique and different from Axel's typical preference, the blond was beautifully handsome, face still innocent and soft with youth, but body betraying the beginnings of what looked to be an alluring adulthood.

Roxas' eyes seemed to move between the two of them, and Axel approached now, closer to the blond's face. Gently, he caught one of Roxas' hands in his own, leading to the tight skin of his aching cock. Slowly, Axel slid Roxas' hand across his length, savoring the feeling but more allowing the younger male to feel the size than anything else, to prepare himself to be entered.

Axel watched, aroused, as Zexion slid his lips over Roxas' head, wishing the bartender would turn his attentions and those lovely, light blue eyes on him instead.

A moment later, Axel swallowed the wish, knew what he was about to get was better.

With practiced movement, Axel moved to the bedside table, turning the lamp onto the dimmest setting, allowing Roxas to better see Zexion working up and down on him. It also gave Axel the opportunity to locate the lubricant Zexion had already retrieved. Popping the cap, he squeezed a liberal amount onto his own hands, all in plain view of Roxas if he wanted to look. Slowly, Axel spread it onto his cock, groaning slightly as he felt the hot heat of his hands against his own arousal.

Then it was to the end of the bed, to pulling Roxas' boxers down his thighs and off entirely, to sliding a lubricated hand across Roxas' seam, and teasing the entrance with a gentle finger as he massaged the blond's balls with his other free hand. His first finger entered slowly, neither thrusting nor truly searching yet for the special place that would eventually break into a pleasurable climax. This was just to get Roxas used to his finger, to the feeling of being entered in any way at all.

Slowly, Axel began moving in and out, not deep, just rhythmic, gently stretching as he slid into his first knuckle. Just as slowly, he added a second finger, noting how Roxas moaned and tightened around him. God, he wanted to feel Roxas tighten around his cock the same way.

In time, he would, Axel reminded himself. Sooner than later, even. But first, the prostate. He began his search with patience, sliding his fingers still rhythmically in and out, increasingly deeper, increasingly wider as he continued to subtly stretch the writhing blond. Zexion had moved upward, covering Roxas' mouth with his own, but when he hit the right spot, Axel knew, relishing the surprised cry and the light trickle of pre-come that now glistened in the lamp's dim light.

"Are you ready to feel me inside of you?" Axel asked, his voice sultry and low. Slowly, his fingers pulled out as he awaited a response, positioning the tip of his head at Roxas' entrance, and beginning to tease it slowly.

o - o

"You can say 'no,' if you want to," Zexion whispered in his ear. "You can tell him to slow down if it hurts, or to stop if you don't think you can handle anymore."

The words were strange to Roxas, who had honestly expected more pressure to do this from both men once he was at this point than any possibility that he might be able to back out if he was scared. He was terrified, but he had also never felt anything at all like that before and this was Axel. He felt himself nodding, teeth clenching together and body tensing against his wishes.

It was Zexion's hands again calming his body the way the blue haired man's words had just done a moment ago for his nerves, and as Axel pressed against him, the bartender's hands found his arousal and squeezed it gently at first but then tighter, stroking almost roughly.

Fuck, it hurt. That first cry had very little of pleasure in it, his eyes squeezing shut as it didn't exactly occur to him to make the redhead stop. Then lips were on his, the movement paused, and he was being kissed and touched and spoken to though he was having difficulty understanding the words just then. His fingers gripped something tightly, an arm, a leg, he wasn't sure what, and after a long moment he felt the pain recede, his body relaxing against the strange feeling of something in that particular location.

He'd prepared himself for this once, knowing that either way he was ready for a partner who wanted to be in him and who he wanted to be inside of; both complete that way. This was Axel, the man he'd already decided a long time ago that he wanted to do this with. He could make himself relax, get used to this feeling, and find out if he could enjoy it.

It still fucking burned though, he wasn't going to lie.

Gasping, he opened his eyes, reaching for Zexion's exposed and aroused body and pulling the bartender closer to him as he addressed Axel. "Okay, I'm nnn-okay, I think."

He wasn't sure what the expression in those green eyes meant, but after only a moment's hesitation the redhead began to move inside of him and this time it felt… different. When he was sure that he no longer needed to hold Zexion's hip in a death grip, he used it to guide the bartender forward, reaching for the other man's erection instead. Once he was close enough, moans ripping from his throat every time Axel moved inside of him, he took the blue haired man's arousal into his mouth, licking the underside first before swallowing as much of it as he could while being this distracted.

The burning was still there, but there was a spot inside of him that Axel brushed every now and again that made his whole body freeze and sent white stars across his vision. Whatever that was he wasn't sure, but suddenly two other voices were moaning around him and someone was handling his body at a rhythm close to the one the redhead was setting inside of him.

It wasn't long before he found it necessary to let go of Zexion for fear of biting him, choosing instead to stroke him with a fist he hoped wasn't too tight at the rhythm his body was being driven at. His teeth clenched together as loud moans began forcing their way up his throat, and attempted to scream out from between his clinched jaw.

"Axel," he gasped. "Nnng, Zex-ah, Zexion! Stars, shit…" He didn't know what he was saying anymore, only that those white stars kept flashing across his vision with more and more frequency, and his body wasn't going to take much more of that. "I'm, shit… I'm co-com-co…. so close."

Whatever he'd imagined his first time to be like; this was so far beyond that it wasn't even funny. It was hard to tell at that moment if the candles and romantic lighting were even being missed now that he was at this point of it all. What he was missing, however, was a mouth on his and a warm kiss guiding him to the very edge.

o - o

If Axel had been a betting man, he would have lost a great deal of cash tonight, hands down.

If Axel had been a betting man, he would have practically bet his inheritance that Roxas was a screamer, just like Zexion had been the first time.

And yet, as Roxas began to writhe and tighten around Axel in the beginnings of his climax, Axel discovered the boy was a…talker?

Oh, this was too good for Axel. Zexion liked to scream when he wasn't so shit-faced that he didn't know what was going on. And Roxas liked to talk, it seemed. Axel could get used to the pleasurable dichotomy of both.

A smirk started forming again across the corners of Axel's lips, his only disappointment being the realization that Roxas wasn't able to continue giving Zexion head as he got closer and closer to his own final release.

That had been hot to see, Roxas' pert, pink lips closing over Zexion's tight cock, eyes shutting almost shyly as he took it in further. Deeper.

At that moment, Roxas cried out, warning in his tone. Axel hardly needed it, for at that same moment, the blond tightened around his cock and Axel himself began to moan low in the back of his throat at the feeling.

He increased his thrusting, making sure he was all the way in before withdrawing and impaling the blond again. Again, again.

Reaching forward, Axel grabbed Roxas' cock, and began to pump, angling it so the release hit the pale flesh of Roxas' stomach instead of the bedsheets, expecting a scream as they rode the first wave of his climax together. But no, his cries were loud, but Roxas wasn't screaming. Yet somehow still, Axel found the boy's throaty cries the catalyst he needed to come himself.

And come he did, releasing stream after stream into Roxas' hot depths. Zexion had been watching Axel throughout, his hand over Roxas' as together they stroked him, the red-head's climax seemingly the encouragement for the beginning of his own. He too released on Roxas, but higher, near his chest.

The looks on both younger mens' faces seemed somewhere between satisfied and completely embarrassed at the obvious mess they had made when it was through. Axel was simply satisfied, needs momentarily satiated as he stared at the college students.

When no one seem poised to move, Axel took the initiative, easing slowly out of Roxas, appreciating the sight of his own fluids leaking gently from between lean legs.

Easing himself onto the bed next to Roxas, Axel beckoned to Zexion to do the same on the blond's other side. Slowly, almost lazily, he slid a hand up Roxas' abdomen, smearing the boy's come a little in the process across his own stomach. His legs felt weak, body on the whole was exhausted but satisfied. A moment later, he was reaching for a box of tissues, gently wiping up trails on Roxas' chest, then stomach, then, gently, between his legs.

Perhaps he should have used a condom, but on a virgin, Axel hadn't felt any real need to do so, instead wanting to savor the feeling of releasing deep into him like he hadn't yet done with Zexion. He could feel Roxas nuzzling him, eyes closing as he succumbed to the exhaustion from likely both their prior exertions and also the tension of fear he'd been holding onto so steadfastly earlier about the entire thing.

Roxas was out first, turning on his side to face Axel unconsciously. Zexion seemed not too far behind himself. Without thinking or questioning his movements, Axel reached across Roxas, wrapping an arm around as much of Zexion's upper body as he could reach.

Then, only then, did he too let sleep take him wherever it would, for as long as it wanted.


	13. Morning Afterglow I

The first thing Roxas was aware of the next morning was how fricken' thirsty he was. His throat was so dry he felt like he could drink a whole fucking lake. Oh, that's right. He'd been drinking the night before, dancing, and come home to an impromptu ...threesome.

Next, he became very aware of hands wrapped around him, touching him, one cupping him in a very awkward place, which must have been what originally woke him. Cracking one eye open, he looked into the curious and innocent blue eyes of a man who looked quite startled to be caught staring at someone first thing in the morning. Roxas didn't think, pressing forward barely an inch to place a gentle kiss on Zexion's lips and whisper a very quiet 'good morning.' Damn, he'd been hoping that he would be the first one awake this morning. The blue eyes that met his when Roxas pulled back still held a bit of surprise in them, but there was a warmer cast to the way he was being regarded now, almost as if the blue-haired man had been wondering how he might be treated the next morning.

Idly, Roxas wondered how Axel treated Zexion when he woke up beside him, wondering if he would be treated differently since he had made the redhead wait for so long whereas Zexion had not. Speaking of Axel though, Roxas knew whose hand was cupped around his… the blond felt his face flush causing Zexion's eyebrows to knit together as he watched. Leave it to the redhead to fondle him 'innocently' in his sleep, he thought.

The fact that Axel's hand was there began to get Roxas kind of aroused, which considering he had to pee was really, really uncomfortable. Carefully, he moved the taller man's hand off of him so that he could shift, moving to crawl carefully over Zexion's side of the bed. That was when the pain hit him, and he clamped his teeth together in a groan he hoped was entirely silent.

Roxas hadn't realized his eyes had slid shut until he blinked them open at the feel of two hands on his sides. The man he had attempted to crawl over was looking up at him with concerned blue eyes. Trying to shake his head to indicate that he would be alright, the blond continued to slide over the edge before limping his way to the bathroom. Fuck, that stung.

Of course, now that Axel had gotten what he wanted, would he just drop Roxas? He was, after all, the third wheel in a relationship that had strangely seemed to have begun working despite the cold demeanor the redhead always seemed to take on in these sorts of situations.

Maybe he could keep things interesting, all while punishing the man at the same time.

So, after soothing his dry throat with the water from the bathroom faucet, Roxas headed back into the bedroom and found Zexion facing a still sleeping Axel. Two pairs of blue eyes met, and the blond let a wicked little smile slide up the corners of his mouth as he became the first to look away, turning his attention to the bedside table and the drawer full of some of the redhead's favorite toys.

As quietly as he could, Roxas made his way over to that drawer, opening it, and sliding a single cold, metal object out of it before moving to crawl back over a very confused and surprised looking Zexion. Carefully, so as not to wake him too soon, the blond took hold of both of Axel's wrists, raising them over the man's head until they reached the silver bars of the bed's headboard. Surely, this object had never been meant to go around these particular wrists.

Today however that was precisely what they would do, as Roxas quickly slid both ends of the handcuffs in place, locking the redhead's wrists to the metal bars, before gently leaning down to kiss and tease him awake. He really hoped Zexion would play along, otherwise this would be a very short lived experiment.

o - o

_He was dreaming of blue eyes, two pairs._

_They were smiling, but distant, just out of reach. One hidden under locks of slate, the other framed by flaxen spiked tresses._

_Too far away. They were too far away. And he wanted both._

_The trio was in a club, then in a dorm, then in his penthouse on the bed. And he was straining, always straining to feel, just to get one more lingering touch…_

Green eyes opened slowly, unfocused initially in the dim light of the room. He had a headache, but only just, and memories of the night before were still fresh on his mind. If there was one thing Axel could do, it was hold alcohol, and keep himself from going over the edge.

Blue eyes came into focus, perched on the bed not far from him. Open. Cerulean. It was Roxas he was looking at, could see naked from the chest on up.

He moved to reach for the blond, to pull the blue eyes closer…only to find his movement restricted, wrists restrained.

The haze of sleep left Axel's eyes with impressive speed at the realization. Eyes narrowing, handcuffs jangling, the red-head looked between Roxas and Zexion behind him. The bartender was hiding, half concealed behind Roxas' blond hair and blue eyes. His face slightly flushed, Axel immediately saw the confusion and mild embarrassment in the college junior's eyes. It read like an apology, just not one that would do him any good at the moment.

Axel turned his attention to Roxas, the likely perpetrator of his current restraints, temper flaring at the shamefully exposed, shamefully _vulnerable_, position he was in.

"Roxas," Axel said, teeth clenched, voice dangerously low. "What _the fuck_ do you think you're doing?"

o - o

"What, Axel," Roxas teased, "don't like morning surprises?"

Zexion was tense. Axel didn't seem happy about what the blond was doing, and that was something he had been trying to avoid doing to the redhead at all costs; anything that might make him unhappy. Actually, those green eyes seemed downright angry, and it was all the blue-haired man could do not to shudder at the look on his face.

"Roxas, maybe it's not a great ide-" he began, reaching forward to pull at the blond so that he could get at Axel's hands and undo them somehow, but Roxas clasped Zexion's wrist and turned on him silencing his suggestion with a rough kiss.

It surprised Zexion, whose eyes went wide at what was happening. What was Roxas doing here? Before he had long to wonder about it, however, the blond's hands began to explore his body, and open blue eyes slipped shut without his permission as the shorter male kissed him in earnest now, mouth open and tongue exploring.

After a very short time of this, Zexion let out a small groan that surprised him, and he began noticing how hot the room was getting. Then it hit him that he was still naked, and the bartender felt his body freeze, flushing partly from embarrassment and partly from fresh arousal. It was as though he couldn't get away from being attacked the morning after no matter who he slept with in this particular house. First Axel, every single time he'd spent the night here, and now Roxas. What the hell? He wasn't that hot, Zexion knew that. He was just… strange, unique, if he believed that nonsense.

Then again, that was Roxas's hand fondling his naked body, and Axel's hands had done the same fairly often before… did they both really think he was hot?

It took Zexion by surprise when the moan slipped loudly up his throat as a hand closed tightly around an erection he hadn't realized had fully risen, and he lost track of everything except the kiss and the hand around his exposed body. Then that hand started to move, and his mind went blank.

o - o

"You already know I don't," Axel growled, teeth exposed by an upturned lip almost into a snarl. He wouldn't tolerate this. Not from Roxas. Not from any-fucking-one. He'd rip the goddamn bedpost off its fucking hinges if that's what it took to get free.

Except Axel knew that was useless mental bravado. The headboard was reinforced for just such situations. Just not meant for _him_ to be in such situations.

The blond's next move was a surprise even to Axel as he saw Roxas turn, shutting up Zexion's feeble attempts at retribution with a rough kiss. It momentarily shut Axel up too, as he watched, mouth slightly agape, as Roxas began to explore Zexion's body in front of him.

If Axel stopped to think about it, the scene was hot. Two men, kissing one another roughly, one man expertly fondling the other in plain view of him. Zexion was already completely hard, with Roxas not far behind when the blond reached for the bartender's cock and began to languidly, sensually stroke.

Zexion's moan just about did him in, was the reason for the heat beginning with earnest between his own exposed legs.

"Roxas…" The word was a growl again, low and warning. He wouldn't stand for this. Not in _his_ house. Not with _his_ boyfriend. Slowly, the muscles in his arms tightened, then released, a physical display of his pent-up frustration at the scene taking place before him.

o - o

Roxas chuckled at how angry Axel was getting, but he also shivered a little bit as well, worrying about how violent the man could get. He'd heard stories about that family and their tactics against the few enemies they had, and even just those who made them unhappy. This was why he'd been unsure of coming back to this man, that temper and the fear he had of the redhead. Would that ever go away?

He fondled the man in front of him more mechanically as his thoughts wandered, worry taking over, but when he settled back into himself and the situation, Roxas's body helped distract him more fully. Not wanting to make Axel too angry, there was that little shiver of fear again, he disentangled himself from Zexion for a moment, apology in his eyes as he turned back to the handcuffed man. Slinking towards those angry green eyes like a cat, he smirked before laying his aroused and naked body against Axel's own exposed flesh, and rubbing himself against him.

Then he stretched up, brushing his lips against the redhead's ear. "Well, I'd suck you off, but… I can't," he purred. "I figured you'd enjoy a show, though."

With that, he kissed Axel hard on the mouth, sliding his arousal alongside the taller man's steadily hardening length, before sliding away, and making his way back to Zexion, who was visibly trembling now. Roxas wasn't sure why he was quivering, but if it was due to need he could fix that. Gently pushing the blue-haired man back until he was lying down in full view of Axel, Roxas leaned forward to place several wet kisses down Zexion's smooth torso.

He let one hand busy itself with Axel's erection while he let his lips trail down the bartender's happy trail, tonguing every spot he found along the way that got a reaction out of Zexion. When his tongue finally made its way between the blue-haired man's legs, however, he removed his hand from Axel's body to assist him in taking care of his newest boyfriend.

Roxas would remind Zexion to take care of the redhead later, if it was needed, but for now Axel could deal with simply watching, he figured. After all, what else could the tall man do?

o - o

Axel was furious. He didn't want to be talked down to, didn't want to be getting aroused. But the mere sight of Roxas' bare body had an incredible effect on him. It was something he'd longed to see for so long, could very clearly remember entering last night, as pert blond lips allowed Zexion's cock to disappear within them on the other end.

He remembered the writhing, the incredible tightness. He remembered Roxas' cries and the way he looked during orgasm, hot, white fluid shooting out onto the pale skin of the boy's own stomach at the climax.

The memories were why, when Roxas kissed him, grinding his hard-on against Axel's lap, he had something steadily hardening to meet the younger man with in return.

Axel found himself grunting, a near growl, as the blond moved away, showing off a nice momentary view of his ass in the process. Axel wanted to take him then, to show Roxas the ecstasy of pain as he fucked him roughly, from behind.

But all vindictive thoughts flew immediately from his mind the moment a delicate hand found its way to his cock, wrapping around it as Roxas slowly made his way down Zexion's front with his mouth.

_Yes, that's right. Jerk me off, pump me harder._

But the stroking was short-lived as Roxas moved to focus on Zexion. Axel watched, mouth agape as the youngest among them took Zexion's erect member straight into his mouth with an erotic, willing smile just hinting at the corners of his lips.

It was not the first time Axel had seen someone performing oral in front of him. His cousin Reno had sometimes sadistic interests, making those indebted to him pay through acts of humiliation on occasion. He'd tell them to suck his cock, call them fags, his bitches throughout. And Axel had simply looked on, disinterested in hearing their pleas, their excuses for why they hadn't paid their accounts up in the end.

Reno's punishment was far kinder than the others he'd seen doled out though. At least Reno's weren't physically permanent.

Axel pulled at his restraints, this time more out of frustration than any real belief they'd yield at his bidding. The way Roxas was working Zexion looked like it felt good, and the blond knew how to put on a show, eyes open, hot mouth sliding up and down Zexion's length at an excruciating pace.

What he wouldn't give to have those lips engulf him.

Zexion's moans were growing louder and more than anything Axel wanted to be the cause. An involuntary moan slipped from his lips soft but audible, and he cursed himself now. Roxas would pay for this. One way or another, Axel would teach him this disrespectful behavior was unacceptable, he was sure.

For now he simply watched, cock aching to be touched itself, while Axel looked on, wondering whether Roxas was prepared for the inevitable climax, would spit or swallow when it finally arrived.

o - o

This was interesting, actually. Zexion made a lot of noise when he got close, and for Roxas that was just plain hot. It was also a pleasant surprise. At some point he remembered to place the blue-haired man's hand on the red-head's crotch, and the subsequent moan from Axel's direction left him under the assumption that Zexion had gotten the point of that gesture without much issue.

It was easy and arousing to use his practiced mouth to push his new boyfriend to the edge, feeling all of these new things towards the beautiful man with blue hair, and feeling sure that he felt something similar for Roxas as well.

A short while later, he felt Zexion's body tense in all the right places, and curious what it would be like to taste his new partner he took in the man's arousal to the hilt letting the head settle at the back of his throat as he swallowed once, listened to the bartender groan loudly, twice, feeling the body tighten even more as the other man shouted this time, and a third time just as hot liquid hit the back of his throat.

He watched those blue eyes, not quite the right color to match his own, as Zexion came in his mouth, and he swallowed it all. Those other eyes were wide, disbelieving, and soft. Roxas felt like he could fall in love with those eyes too, given the chance; he really did.

He held onto some of the salty fluid, letting it sit on his tongue as he smiled at Zexion before turning to Axel. Letting his body slide over the red head's again, as cat-like as he was capable, he let his new partner's come drip from his mouth onto the taller man's chest. Then, making sure those green eyes were on him, he leaned forward to lick up the sticky, white fluid, and then swallowed before adding a silky "oops."

Roxas let himself slide up against Axel then, his body still painfully aroused. "I would do the same for you," he said, leaning closer, "but that wouldn't be all that safe for me, right now, would it?"

He vaguely remembered the previous night. Of course, recalling that brought back the pain and soreness that was left over from what Axel had done with him. The redhead had been surprisingly sweet about it all, but that anger and the predatory look in those green eyes now reminded Roxas that the taller man wasn't exactly the partner of his dreams when it came to being in a long-term relationship. Axel was frightening, a person to stay away from. Yet here Roxas found himself, trying to solidify this new partnership between the three of them, an idea that stemmed from the knowledge that he didn't want to lose this man.

Why didn't he want that? It would be safer, better for him, not to be around those green eyes anymore. A small sigh; stupid distractions. Sliding his hand between their bodies, Roxas grasped his and Axel's arousals in one hand and rocked his body slowly. Then he leaned forward, kissing the red head softly to see if the man would resist him or allow him to offer this one thing.

Roxas needed to be clear: Axel wasn't the only one who could be in control here. Though, he'd bet everything he owned, including his own life, that it would be a very, very long time before he would be allowed to do to the red head what had been done to his body the previous night, which drew a bitter feeling from deep within his chest. How was that an equal relationship between the three of them? It already broke the rules that were set in place for this, and it made Roxas a little angry.

Sliding away from Axel, frustration and anger making it difficult to do what he needed for the man, he turned to Zexion, who had been watching with flushed cheeks. Taking the blue-haired man's hand in one of his, he gently guided it between himself and Axel. The other man seemed to catch on because his hand closed around their arousals, and Roxas picked up the pace again trying to finish them both off before he became so angry that he just got up and headed to the bathroom instead. He didn't know why he was getting so worked up, but if he just let Zexion take care of Axel while he walked off, that would contradict everything this new partnership was supposed to be about.

So he tried to clear his mind, let this happen, the three of them together, without leaving in a huff. He could do that later, when things were more out in the open, or when both of the other two men had gotten off.

o - o

It took so much willpower for Axel not to react to Roxas' kiss. It was gentle, almost pleading. But Axel felt humiliated as exposed as he currently was. His face remained impassive, not reacting to the kiss at all, simply letting Roxas go through the motion without reciprocation on his end.

And to talk to him like that…the way Roxas had been addressing him…it made his blood boil.

What he couldn't control though was the obvious reaction his body was having to feeling Roxas' cock sliding against his, later being secured there by small, slender fingers. By the time Zexion's hand wrapped around the tight skins of both of their cocks, Axel was near the end of his tolerance for silence.

Zexion's motions were firm and steady for awhile. The moment he paused, Axel looked up, trying to catch the bartender's attention enough to communicate an order: unlock my wrists. For fuck's sake.

His arms were going numb, having been stretched above his head for so long, his wrists aching from the moments he'd strained against the unyielding metal. And all he wanted to do was lunge at Roxas and pay him back.

Zexion wasn't looking at him though. His gaze was trained between Axel and Roxas. A moment later, Axel saw an inquisitive thumb slide across Roxas' slit, moving steadily to his with a trail of pre-come in its wake. He felt the thumb swirl against his slit, mixing Roxas' liquid with the small drops appearing on the tip of his own erection.

Without thinking, Axel strained forward, found he couldn't reach Roxas' lips from his current position, instead burying his face in thick blond hair as he moaned at the pace, hips involuntarily following the path Zexion's hand was taking, upward and then back down.

Later would be pay-back. Now, Axel simply felt pleasure, and pain in his arms. And everywhere, in every sense, a primal need for this to be over.

o - o

Roxas felt pressure in his body and at the top of his head. One thing was natural and belonged to him, while the other was strange and caused him to raise his eyes to search out Axel's yet again. The redhead's face was right there, but as this man had been the one to refuse to give any return kiss when he'd offered one Roxas had no desire to repeat the episode. Instead, he simply watched the redhead, as his body rode towards a climax alongside the taller man's.

He wasn't sure if the tensing in Axel's body was an indication of the same thing as with his own, but when he finally came, the process had suddenly seemed long and drawn out to him. Not as much a pleasure as the blond would have wished it to be. A lot of that stemmed from anxiety, though. Because it probably would have been smarter of him to remove the redhead's bonds the moment he saw just how angry it had made him, but that moment, the idea of punishment in his mind, had seemed like such a fleeting thing that Roxas hadn't wanted to let go of it. Now, however, with the whole thing at an end, he half wished he could take it back. Not because he felt bad for doing it, but because he found that fear of this man still affected him in a very substantial way.

Leaning forward, he still placed a soft kiss on Axel's jaw before pressing himself up with shaky arms, and turning to Zexion. "The key's in that drawer there," he added pointing it out. "His wrists probably hurt now."

Turning to go before he could say or do anything to reveal his anger, or worse his frustration and disappointment in the man over things that he knew he should have expected; Roxas walked towards the bedroom door. He paused there, though, unable to leave without asking one question, the answer to which he honestly feared. It didn't matter anymore, really. If he was just some object the red head had desired, his usefulness ran out the previous night, so what was there to lose?

"Did you miss me at all, Axel, or did you just replace me with the first person you found who didn't defy you?"

o - o

Roxas released before Axel, causing his own climax a short time thereafter. The hot streams fell primarily on his own stomach. In his current restrained state, Axel felt nothing but shame. Embarrassment. At everything.

The gentle kiss at his jaw made him shudder, the wave ripping through his exhausted body in violent fashion. And then Roxas was rising, leaving him alone to this shame, this burning exposure.

But not without a few parting words to stoke his inner anger.

"You left," he practically spat, handcuffs jangling weakly against the bedframe. "No explanation, no warning. _You left, _Roxas. It's not my fault I fell in love with someone else in the meantime."

The words left his mouth before he'd even thought about their meaning, and green eyes widened as he processed what he'd just said. For a moment, silence lingered in the air between them.

Face burning, stomach churning something awful, Axel wanted nothing more than to be left alone, to wipe the drying, cooling remnants of this morning off his stomach and return to bed. Alone. Unthinking.

He couldn't even do that though, could only turn his head into the unfeeling flesh of his numb shoulder, hiding one green eye, and, trembling minutely, closing the other.

o - o

Zexion had had a feeling that there had been something left over between them. What else would make someone like Axel give in to a situation he was obviously uncomfortable with, and who else would he look at the same way he looked at Roxas? Well, occasionally, it seemed those green eyes fell upon him that way. It seemed, because Zexion had told Axel how he felt, accidentally but told him, nonetheless.

Those words that fell out of Axel's mouth… made the bartender's body shudder violently, eyes wide. Axel loved him? His hand reached towards the red haired man instinctively, then realized that his wrists were still bound. What had Roxas told him? Oh yeah!

He immediately turned to the drawer finding the keys set on top, probably by Roxas who while feeling mischievous that morning had still seemed to be thinking ahead in his spontaneity. If Zexion was smart, and he was, he could take advantage of this situation, right now. He could get rid of the blond once and for all, keeping Axel all to himself. It wasn't even necessary to glance at the man standing in the doorway now to know that those words would have stung him, but the blue-haired man couldn't help himself. He looked at Roxas as he undid Axel's hands, taking in the watery blue eyes and the trembling hands. The blond was getting ready to bolt, and Zexion could let him, poisoning the red head's mind against him after he left.

The thing was, odd as it might seem, Zexion didn't actually want Roxas to go. He wouldn't say that he loved the other man who had so disrupted his life, not yet, but he knew whatever the two said to each other now that those feelings went deep as well. Blue eyes judged both men as he unlocked Axel's wrists, letting his hand trail along the man's face, and whispering a soothing, "I love you, too," before gently kissing his jaw.

He let his hands trail gently along the redhead's exposed skin, reverently kissing it as he got off of the bed, even making special effort to let his lips brush against the taller man's feet. Zexion had never seen Axel so emotional, but he knew that submission always seemed to help him feel better somehow. So he did his best as he left to show that he thought nothing but the best of this man, of his body, even now. Then he rose and turned to Roxas, eyes neutral but trying to speak at the same time. "Stay," they said, but those other blue eyes didn't really see him.

Was Roxas jealous? Probably, and he felt only a small amount of vindictive pleasure at the thought before immediately feeling bad about it. Damn. He actually liked Roxas, what little he'd gotten to know of this other man. He was smaller than him, but he was formidable, which Zexion couldn't help but admire, if not yet love about the blond. So, he touched Roxas gently, pulled on his wrist, and guided him closer to the red head before turning to go.

He couldn't leave though. If Roxas had forgotten, which he immediately realized he hadn't when he felt the other body follow him into the bathroom, Axel still needed to be cleaned up. So Zexion took the towel that Roxas had grabbed, put on the hot water and let it soak before wringing it out, and then shoved it into the blond's hands, ignoring the confusion in those widening blue eyes as he turned the blond around and pushed him in the direction of the bedroom they'd just left.

Once Roxas was in, Zexion made sure that he was heading for Axel. He watched as the blond walked slowly up to the red head, body still trembling, and began to gently, lovingly clean him off. The blond's head was bowed, what he was looking at Zexion didn't know, but he shut the door behind him, locking the two in the bedroom together before he could be tempted to eavesdrop on a conversation he was not a part of. They needed to talk, and he found that, surprisingly, he wanted this to work. So he would let them.


	14. Morning Afterglow II

Roxas was somewhat in shock. Love? What had he done? He had actually convinced himself that he was helping Zexion, this man that he liked, by finding a way of cementing Axel to both of them. But Axel loved Zexion? Maybe he, Roxas, should leave the two of them alone. He was messing this whole thing up.

Those blue eyes were on him, and he couldn't make himself meet them. He wanted to turn and run right out of there, but his clothes were… were at the foot of the bed. Maybe it would be better to risk the cold and the eyes running out naked, but he couldn't do that to himself even now. So he trembled in place, watching vaguely from the corner of his eyes as Axel was released, and half expecting the man to charge him, to hurt him or at the very least to throw him out bodily now.

Instead it was Zexion's hands that found him next, were they comforting him? It made Roxas's eyes shoot up to meet the other blue eyes on him, then fly back to Axel who… oh shit. He'd been on his way to get a towel; he needed to clean up… that's what he'd meant to do.

He turned, but Zexion was a step ahead of him and it seemed they were both headed to the same place. In silence, Roxas grabbed the first towel he saw and jumped only slightly when the blue-haired man took it from him. Of course, he had no right. This was something the bartender should do for Axel, not him. So he was even more surprised when Zexion shoved the warm, wet towel into his hands, and physically turned him around, pressing him back towards the room he had just left. Once inside, those pushy hands didn't stop until Roxas was standing at the edge of the bed.

He stood there for a long moment, staring at Axel's stomach and not wanting to clean off the evidence of both of them… together there. Trembling, he lifted his hand to do it anyways, and when he heard the door close behind him, Roxas didn't even need to turn around to know that they were alone now. He could feel Zexion's absence in a strange way. Pausing, he glanced up at Axel's face.

"If it's the last chance I had to be with you," he whispered, unable to find his voice, "I don't want to clean away the evidence that you and I were together this way…"

He felt weak with his eyes watering like this, but he ran the towel around Axel's abdomen, relishing the view and the memory as much as he was able before the red head exploded or hurt him somehow. Strangely, he kind of felt ready for it. At least he'd tried, right?

o - o

He hadn't realized how much Zexion's soft declaration in return would affect him. Very suddenly, Axel was no longer trembling from cold, as a warmth began to assault his chest and parts of his stomach. It came and went as he turned the words over in his mind, was reignited when he felt Zexion's lips at his feet.

He wanted to reach out and pull the other man back to him, Roxas momentarily forgotten. But Axel's arms were numb, his wrists rubbed red from his repeated strains against the unyielding metal throughout their recent encounter. All he could do was remain in his reclining position, watching Zexion.

There was a strange, exhilarating thrill to have the man's lips brush against his feet that was not entirely sexual. For a moment, he wondered if Zexion was aware that that was what bound men did at the culmination of their loyalty oaths. That was what the men bound to him had been made to do, lower themselves before him, kissing the still cooling family crest on the ring that'd been used to brand them — his personal ring — before stooping to kiss his feet while others in his family watched.

Those who'd sworn the oath had their lives provided for them, never wanting for anything so long as they served their purpose within the Damato family hierarchy. They also lost their identities, though, and their lives were Axel's to control in the most technical of senses.

So Zexion's action made sense to Axel, perhaps in a way it wouldn't to anyone outside of his family, outside of his world. It made Zexion his, and that was a good thing.

It was Roxas who approached with a towel though, not Zexion, and as the pain of recirculation began to creep back through his arms, Axel watched the blond with wary eyes, a stoic expression.

His expression didn't change as Roxas spoke. Axel simply watched, noting watering eyes, feeling a strange thrumming in his chest at the words.

Their eyes met, clear, sharp green regarding watering blue. In the hallway, his landline rang, shrill and insistent. Still, Axel didn't move.

"I could've hurt you last night," he said finally, his voice low, eyes still intently meeting Roxas'. "I didn't have to prepare you, didn't need to go slow. It would've been easier to get myself off if I hadn't."

The hot towel brushed against Axel's stomach slightly and he flinched, grimacing at the aching in his arms as a direct result.

"Damnit, Roxas," Axel half-growled, pushing himself a little more upright. "I don't fucking get you sometimes. How you could get the idea that I don't give a shit about you is beyond me. I've shown you more affection than I have with Zexion whenever we've been together alone, but _you're_ the one who's questioning my interest." The last words were muttered as a clearly frustrated sound very near to an exasperated scoff made its way into the last couple words.

He looked down now, occupied by the observation that his wrists were raw and red. Tentatively, Axel grabbed one wrist in the other hand, massaging it gently before looking up again, watching Roxas' expression.

The boy seemed somewhat stunned, didn't seem as though he was going to say anything out loud any time soon.

So Axel spoke for him, his pride somewhat mending itself as he settled back into the role of doling out orders.

"Clean me up," he said, if a bit imperiously. "And this had better not be the last time we're together like this, or I'm going to be really fucking irritated by the shit you pulled today."

o - o

"I just thought…" Roxas paused, eyes focusing on Axel finally, then on his wrists. He fought back a smirk with difficulty, thinking it wasn't the best time for that. Really though, the bubble rising in his chest made him want to laugh and cry at the same time. Why did he feel this much for this man?

"You make me so angry, sometimes, you know," he finally managed. Not the words he would've wanted to come out. "It always has to be you in control. Anyone else who had been handcuffed and treated like that would have thought it was hot. Me, the one you had complete control over last night, in control this morning specifically to get you off, but no. You have to see it as some, some breach of territory or something!"

He began rubbing Axel clean then, slightly more roughly than he would have planned, but still with a show of caring for the red head's body, which was very precious to Roxas as he continued ranting.

"You can never see that I'm yours; never could. You never pay close enough attention. Yes, I left, and I'm sure you'll use that against me for a long time, but I did it because you scared me. Because being around you ended up hurting my brother, and I knew it was safer away from you. I'm an idiot, maybe. I came back. I love you, and it's not something I can help. Maybe not even something I want to stop doing, but I came back even though I knew it wasn't safe for me or my family."

He was done, Axel's skin was clean and slightly red and he held the towel up with his hands as though he was a target on a firing range.

"Here I am," he said. "Yours, but you don't look at this like an equal partnership, do you? Already going back on your word because you feel like only you can be in control."

His heart was pounding, that fear spiking again as he wondered if anyone ever spoke to Axel this way, ever. Fear spiking as a part of him worried about what the man would do about that. Would he shout or with Roxas standing this close to him would he reach out and physically punish him, right now? Well, either way he had one last thing to say.

"I appreciated that you were gentle. It felt like you still cared about me, like you loved me too. I could… believe it last night. I've wanted you to be my first for a long time now, which … scared me before. Maybe virginity was never something you valued, but… I waited so long because… because I… I guess I wanted it to be with the right man. You know… someone I'd remember loving and being loved by instead of just some drunken encounter in a bar because I was impatient or … or…"

He didn't want to say anything bad about Zexion or Axel, but he could guess how they'd met easily enough. If he hadn't been so firm in his beliefs about his own body and its worth, Roxas and Axel might well have started off the way he assumed things had begun between the two men. "I didn't want it to be as a result of alcohol, but as a choice made because of how I felt about you. That's all."

Sighing, he let his head drop. This stuff needed to come out if this was going to work, but the trembling in his body wouldn't stop. Stars, Roxas hated arguments and confrontation. That didn't mean he would back down to avoid them, but what he wouldn't give to stand as rigid as Axel could when faced with something that upset him.

o - o

If it had been anyone else's admissions on this topic, Axel would have written them off immediately. He didn't date effeminate men, wasn't interested in listening about their feelings. There was a reason he rarely voiced his own in most normal circumstances. The admission about Zexion had been a slip. Nothing more.

He'd grown up with the knowledge that showing emotions was a female trait, and not even a desirable one at that. And as he'd matured, he tried to emulate his father as much as feasible, first in front of the household staff, and later in front of his father's personal security detail and those who were bound to him.

Not once had he considered Roxas' side of things, how the blond might have been trying to put on a show for his own benefit. He allowed the seed of that idea to take root, mulling it over, silently admitting to himself what he wouldn't to Roxas in front of him: seeing Roxas get Zexion off had been undeniably hot.

There was nothing for him to say though in response to Roxas' words. Or at least there was nothing Axel could honestly think to respond with. What did Roxas want him to say anyway? That he'd let Roxas tie him up again? He wasn't sure he would. That he'd been fantasizing about being Roxas' first since early on in their relationship? That would require an admission Axel wasn't willing to give.

What he didn't understand most was how Roxas thought he'd agreed to submit like that. He hadn't. He'd agreed to a threesome…possibly one that endured longer than one night. That's all Axel understood about the matter. He wasn't some learned college student. He understood what was put in front of him, what he could interpret on his own terms, from his own experiences. In front of Zexion and Roxas both, he sometimes felt incredibly stupid. That in itself was a form of submission he could never rid himself of.

But the way Roxas was talking, the way his abdominals tightened when he spread his hands out…

All of a sudden Axel was no longer thinking angry thoughts. Quite the opposite, actually.

Without thinking, he lunged toward Roxas, his arms still clumsy with recent numbness as they encircled the smaller body, pulling his lips to Axel's own. It was rough, needy, and before Roxas could protest, Axel pulled the boy toward the bed, on top of him as he fell onto his back.

The kissing became gentler, yet more passionate as Axel continued, leading the way with his mouth and tongue but making no move to restrict the blond in any other way. He could already feel his arousal growing but ignored it for the time being as he began to kiss down the side of Roxas' face to his throat.

"So," he began, pausing a moment to suck on Roxas' neck, "what you're saying is…" Teeth bit down on the tender space between Roxas' throat and his clavicle. "…you want the opportunity to be on top once in awhile."

He looked up at the smaller male, eyes narrowed, but lustful and…something else. Something far more tender.

"Apart from this morning, what exactly did you have in mind?"

o - o

Roxas practically jumped out of his skin when Axel grabbed him, and it was a minute before he realized the rough kiss was not the red head's way of forcing himself on Roxas. It was strange at all that the thought even crossed his mind, but obviously it was born from the fear he still held for this man.

The blond would have protested being dragged back onto the bed, on top of Axel, but the softening kisses and then the trailing nips down his neck silenced any opposing thoughts his mind had been harboring. He let out a quiet moan, unable to help the noise as teeth found a sensitive place on his neck. His fingers had tangled themselves in the red head's hair now, and unconsciously Roxas pulled himself closer as he answered.

"I want," he began, panting, "to be treated… like your equal. Anything you can do, I can do."

He couldn't explain it any better than that with Axel distracting him. What he wanted was the chance to show the red head, and maybe at some point even Zexion, what it felt like to have someone else be in charge of their bodies for a while. What it had felt like the previous night, though it had hurt, to be so close to someone you loved that your bodies were connected like that. Maybe it wasn't something Axel could understand without being in Roxas's mind, but he wanted to show the red head how much he loved him, the same way Axel had shown him how much he still cared the previous night.

"I want to connect with you the same way you connect with me."

Pulling Axel's face closer to his, he pressed their lips together passionately, visualizing his desire before he meant to and becoming aroused by it.

o - o

The moan, his kisses. Although he'd just come, Axel wanted Roxas again. Alone this time. To himself.

But once the words were out, he found himself freezing, staring wide-eyed at the blond before him.

Roxas wanted…

He swallowed uncomfortably, forcing himself immobile, incapable of shaking his head in the negative. Just as incapable of nodding affirmatively.

Roxas' kiss distracted him, gave him time to think through the idea of it.

He didn't like it. Not even a little.

It was weak. It was submissive. He couldn't…

Roxas broke the kiss, looking at Axel almost expectantly. Slowly, the blond lowered himself, hovering just above Axel's chest on his hands and knees, stiff cock brushing against Axel's stomach.

"I ca—" the words were cut off by a low groan at the sensation. Roxas might not have been as experienced as Axel, but the blond sure knew how to tease, even if some of it was inadvertent.

Below him, Axel felt his own heat begin to rise in response.

When green eyes met with blue shortly after, his expression was raw, almost as vulnerable as his body had been in restraints not so long before.

And he knew it, and he was ashamed, but he couldn't force it away. Maybe later, when they were in public, the expression could be banished. It would have to be, because Axel wouldn't accept anything less of himself. Right now though, he was exposed, and in many ways the look on his face now said more than any mere vocalization would ever be able to fully express.

o - o

Roxas did not recognize the look Axel was giving him, those green eyes he loved so much almost pleading somehow. For what? What was this? Was it in response to something he'd just said? That thought made the blond think back on just what it was he'd been talking about, remembering the idea of being inside… oh.

Well, were those eyes scared? What did that mean? Did it mean he was willing, a virgin… or something else entirely?

Perhaps unfortunately, it made Roxas think of the expression of anger that had been on Axel's face for no other reason than that he'd secured the red head's wrists and surprised him. The remembered anger at that sent heat of a different sort through his body. Trying to make sure to control his voice so that he didn't start a fight when this all seemed to be going so well, he commented on it.

"What did you think of me last night, Axel," he asked, doing his best to purr against the red head's skin. "Did you think it was weak of me to let you take me like you did? Did my moaning, my talking, do something to indicate that I was less of a man when you were done?"

He hoped his assumptions were wrong, but… after all, he'd been with Axel long enough to know how this man thought. And if the red head didn't love the men he'd fucked around with before… _ugh_! The idea of strange men touching Axel sent little sparks of heat up his spine and out through his limbs. _No, what about Zexion_? There, that thought was better. If Axel didn't love him then maybe the question would be better posed like that.

"What about Zexion," he added. "Is he weak when you slide into him, a level you'd have a hard time stooping down to?"

Stars, he hoped he was wrong about Axel. If the fear he held was due to the fact that he was a virgin, Roxas could sympathize. The problem here was more that, well, he knew Axel. It brought back the thoughts from that morning; the ones that had almost made Roxas get up and walk out on the subdued red head. Whether Axel was a virgin as a receiver or not, the fact remained that he'd never seen those green eyes look so vulnerable before. Leaning forward, he tried to kiss the worry out of them, grinding almost entirely out of instinct than anything else.

Whatever happened this morning, Roxas was pretty damn sure that a repeat of last night would leave him in bed recovering the entire day if not longer. And he didn't much feel like limping around for a week just to please Axel… even if the thought of reproducing some of the memories from the previous evening did seem rather appealing.

o - o

Roxas didn't understand. He hadn't grown up hearing the taunts, hadn't had to listen to the men who worked for his father calling others in the Damato family's employ fags or cocksuckers when they were referencing weaknesses. Roxas hadn't seen men raped for disobedience, or as punishment for being late on their accounts.

He would never let anyone do that to him. He'd never be weak like that.

But Roxas rephrased, asked in terms of his own experience last night.

Was he weak for being entered, for letting Axel enter him like that?

_Yes, _Axel's subconscious answered.

Was Zexion weak for allowing the same all those many times before?

_Yes, yes, yes._

But it was a torn, anguished "no" that ripped from Axel's throat when their hips met, a moment before Roxas' lips were back on his. The word had ended high, as though in question, frustrated as though overwhelmed.

Roxas' questions had been serious, but his words had been descriptive, his tone sultry and teasing. Between that and the grinding, Axel found himself fully hard again in a matter of seconds.

He couldn't let that happen to him though. He couldn't be weak.

Yet even now as those resolutions were running through his mind, Axel didn't act on them, didn't flip Roxas over and take him hard as would be typical.

Instead, one hand slid behind Roxas' head, pressing their lips together harder. Another arm snaked down the boy's middle, hand wrapping around his cock and stroking, not gently but also not as hard as he could.

He'd held other men he'd been with in just the same way. This was the first time someone's heat within his own hand affected him so strongly though. Deep and low, into Roxas' throat, Axel allowed himself to moan.

o - o

He was still on top. Roxas wasn't sure, he hadn't been with Axel like this before last night, but that seemed like some sort of major accomplishment to him. That didn't mean that the red head actually meant to let him be 'on top' for real, but… maybe, just maybe, it was a start to some sort of equality between them. The blond half wondered if this would be better with Zexion here. Someone else who was more experienced with Axel in an intimate way, but then again how would he get to know his boyfriend like this if Roxas had to depend on the bartender?

Well, he kinda had depended on him to fix the sticky mess Roxas had gotten himself into with his mouth. Not that this situation was any different in terms of description, but it was certainly a much more pleasant one.

He meant to ask; to clarify what Axel meant when he said 'no' in that uncertain way, but Roxas's lips were suddenly too busy to do anything but respond to the passionate conversation the red head was creating with his mouth. When his boyfriend moaned, grabbing onto Roxas's body, there was little else he could do other than respond in turn, adding answering vibrations to the other man's lips.

Before ever deciding to do it, Roxas had a grip on Axel's surprisingly hard erection, his other hand pulling the red head's lips harder against his by the man's neck. Bucking his hips into his partner's hand, Roxas felt himself lose track of the mental exercise he had previously been participating in. What had he been talking about? He forgot now. The only thing in existence was Axel: Axel's hand, Axel's lips, Axel's moans, Axel's hard body… underneath Roxas's. The moan that followed that thought had very little to do with what was happening to his body physically; he had a damn good imagination.

o - o

This wasn't about excitement anymore. It wasn't about surprise. Pure and simple, for Axel it was about need.

He'd waited so long, lost so much hope, and now without warning Roxas had returned.

He couldn't wait any longer.

And although he wanted very badly to be inside of the blond, to pound until Roxas screamed, maybe fainted, until he himself released so hard it physically _hurt_, Axel found himself frozen in place, kissing desperately, stroking hard.

If Zexion's appeal was in his moans, for Axel it was all about Roxas' motions. He matched the boy's thrust with one of his own, feeling his cock press painfully between tightly gripping fingers.

And he wasn't quiet this time, wasn't mindful that this wouldn't be seen as strong. He moaned, and writhed, and followed Roxas' hand wildly, feeling his own tension build against the increasingly sensitive skin of his own throbbing arousal.

"I'm going to…" he started, but a moan tore the words of warning away, initiated a deep shudder within his lower spine. He increased his pace, as much desperate for Roxas' release as he was for his own, adding the passion that had been missing from their most recent encounter at least threefold.

Later he'd have time to return to the encounter. Later Axel would curse his own weak resolve. For now it was enough to have the blond all to himself, something that he'd so recently believed no amount of money, no level of social connections, would get him at all.


	15. A Date With the Damatos I

"Oh, this is going to be _good_."

Long, red-brown hair flipped over one shoulder as Tifa Damato slid into the backseat of one of the family's Cadillacs. Green eyes narrowed, wild red hair slicked back under control for once, her older brother followed a moment later. He said nothing, simply folded lean arms over an equally lean chest before reclining onto the heated leather seat.

Tifa quirked an eyebrow at her brother, copying his stance with an added flourish of one leg crossed over the other.

"Oh, come on. What is it? Embarrassed to introduce him to your sister? Shy, maybe?"

Axel merely scowled and sunk lower. It was bad enough that Tifa had gotten him caught up in this in the first place. Not to mention the fact that Roxas had been left out in the cold. It was difficult enough for him to admit he had one boyfriend. Explaining two would've been impossible.

"The sex must be _really_ good with this one, Axel," Tifa continued as the car began to pull away from the drive, clearly ignoring her brother's sullen mood. "You've never kept one long before, at least. Shame he doesn't have a brother."

"Shut _up_, Tifa, will you?" The words were said between clenched teeth. "None of this is any of your fucking business anyway." It was the first thing Axel had said since they'd left their family's estate, and it was clear he was holding back his usual temper by little more than a tiny thread at this point.

Tifa ignored the warning in his tone.

"Oh, fuck off yourself." She turned to Axel, eyes glinting in the dim light of the Cadillac's passenger cabin. "You don't act like any gay guy I've ever met. Can't a girl be curious? You're always so secretive."

"There's a reason for that," Axel returned. "If Papà finds out I'm—"

"This isn't my first time working around his rules, brother," Tifa was quick to cut him off. "You act like I haven't been keeping your little…secret…for years now." She sniffed almost haughtily. "I'm doing you a favor, keeping this quiet, so now you can humor me by introducing me to the guy you apparently like enough to invite back for seconds. _At least_."

Her tone was curt enough to shut Axel up in his tracks. It was true. If Tifa felt like it, she could make his life hell with their parents. She never had. She'd never asked for anything in return either, had just taken the first evidence in at face value and kept it to herself, didn't even act disgusted, from what Axel could tell. That wouldn't be the case if his family found out he preferred men, however. He supposed he should be grateful.

That didn't mean he was going to enjoy this afternoon meeting any more than he had to though.

Their driver pulled around to the front of The Cascade. A gentlemen's club by night, and a lunch parlor by day, it was one of the more expensive places to eat in their city. And Axel's family was well-known as patrons.

And just as quickly as they'd arrived, so too had the press. Typically they left the Damato siblings alone. But two in one go, in broad daylight as well, seemed too tempting to pass up for them. There was a small crowd by the time they'd pulled to a stop.

"Fucking great," Axel muttered. Just what he needed. Now there was no chance of him waiting for Zexion to arrive either. It'd cause too much of a stir. Better to let the blue haired student show up on his own, so as not to find himself instantly connected to the Damato's arrival. Axel could only imagine the things they'd dig up on the bartender if they knew he was attached…

"Well, what do you expect, brother? Two birds, one stone. Camera. Whatever." Tifa seemed unfazed as she slid out of the car the moment the door was opened for her, a gracious smile on her face as the cameras started going off. Axel too schooled a neutral expression on his face, unsmiling. One of these days one of these journalists was going to end up dead as a result of being too nosy, he just knew it. And though he cared very little for the worthless lives of paparazzi, that too would just cause more trouble for his family. It was something they certainly didn't need right now.

So he rounded the car, taking his sister's arm in his as he escorted her into the restaurant. They wouldn't be followed inside. Even if the stray photographer got through, the table they had reserved was a private one, with windows looking out to a locked courtyard within the building's interior. It would be private. They would have peace.

Veering off slightly toward the hostess, Axel whispered instructions for what to do when Zexion arrived, before allowing them both to be led toward the restaurant's back end. A few patrons looked up at their presence, although most were accustomed to appearances by the Damato clan and paid them no mind. It was just as Axel preferred.

Then, without further preamble, Axel and Tifa found their reserved table and situated themselves, waiting for the arrival of a man with blue hair.

o - o

Zexion blushed, pulling up to the restaurant in his own car and parking without really noticing the press. He'd definitely never eaten at this place before, but it seemed a bit upscale so maybe it would be good. Hesitating before getting out of the car, he thought of Roxas. Honestly, a meeting like this made far more sense for someone who seemed as good with his words as the blond was, not someone who was just an awkward intellectual like Zexion felt like he was. His newest boyfriend had suggested that he pull his bangs back so that Axel's sister could see how sexy he was, but he felt much safer with his bangs in his eyes in this situation, so there was no chance of that. Why had he ever thought that picking up the phone would be a good idea?

This was just a lunch-date. Nothing major, Zexion told himself as he opened the door and got out. Logically, she was just interested in seeing the type of men who had wormed their way into her brother's arms, right? At least, that had been her line. So all he had to do was show her the type of man he was, if not necessarily the type of man that Axel saw when they were alone. That was easy enough, was it not?

Perhaps she would have questions for him. That too he could handle. Zexion answered questions better than anyone else he knew… when his professors asked him. Still, this wouldn't be all that different, would it? He should probably have guessed by the sight of reporters or camera-men or whatever they were outside the establishment that it might be the most unique experience of his life, but he walked passed them almost without noticing.

It was already pretty strange that the woman just escorted him into a backroom as soon as he'd given her his name, which he might not have needed given the way she looked at him after he had spoken. Well, was she just going to assume he was the right person, and take some random guy to sit down with Axel? She didn't know. Did she?

It was awkward enough having a woman open the door for him, but then walking into a room where another woman stood to greet him? That was just… shouldn't he be standing to greet her, instead?

Instead of making her reach across the table, Zexion walked straight forward to greet Axel's sister, with a slight pause to glance at his boyfriend part of the way there. Hopefully, the unhappy look on the red head's face wasn't as a result of something he had done. Turning to Tifa, he held his hand out as calmly as he was able, and introduced himself.

"Hello," he began. "I'm Zexion."

o - o

Even in his currently sullen state, Axel had to admit he got a smug sense of satisfaction seeing Tifa falter a bit as she recognized the man now standing before her.

She was quick to recover, however.

"Pleasure," she replied, taking his hand with a bit of a held back smile. "You're the bartender from Hart's, aren't you? I never forget a unique face."

She returned to her seat, sitting daintily across from Zexion, Axel having taken the spot next to the bartender.

"God, _you_ have good taste in men," Tifa murmured, directing her remark to Axel in Italian. Her expression turned sly. "A bartender's a little outside your typical expensive tastes though, isn't it?"

For his part, Axel ignored her for a moment, sliding a menu toward Zexion with a curt smile. As he reached for his own, Axel spoke again, eyes perusing the daily specials intently.

"English, sister," he said, voice smooth, as though he were speaking to both of them. "Unless I'm mistaken, Zexion isn't familiar enough with Italian to respond. Or defend himself, if the need arises."

Out of the corner of one eye, Axel noted a slight, subtle coloring at his sister's cheeks.

Good. Served her right for trying to be a sly bitch in front of his…in front of Zexion, he amended. The other term was still a little difficult for him to comprehend.

A light knock on the door ushered in a server, eyes down, voice respectful. "May I take your order, Mr. and Miss Damato?" She eyed Zexion curiously, including him in the conversation only with her gaze.

"The usual, for both of us," Axel replied, Tifa nodding quickly in agreement. "Some house wine, as well."

After Zexion had ordered, and the server had left, Tifa looked back up at Zexion, with that same confident smile on her face that Axel was so used to by now.

"Zexion's an interesting name," she said, voice light and conversational, eyes directly on the blue-haired man as though Axel no longer existed. "Not Italian, I take it?"

Beside her, Axel sighed slightly. This was going to be the longest lunch date of his life.

o - o

He had nodded at Tifa's question, half wondering if she meant unique as a compliment or an insult, while she began talking to Axel in Italian. It was a mild disappointment when his boyfriend responded in English, as he'd wanted to hear the red head speak in his native tongue again when Zexion wasn't too nervous to appreciate it, but it also made him feel a little warm inside for Axel to make a point of not excluding him from any part of this.

Part of him wondered if Roxas would enjoy this more than he did, but another part was selfishly thrilled that it was him here meeting Axel's family instead of the blond. Interesting, since Zexion was pretty sure he hadn't had many selfish moments in his life thus far. Just college, but his mother was encouraging that one.

Having ordered something that sounded appealing, and somehow inexpensive, though it was hard to tell when the menu didn't have prices, he tried to settle down and act normal. It was a difficult feat considering he had no idea how much he would be spending on lunch, or whether a place like this was even in his normal price range when it came to ordinary things like lunch. It wasn't, he didn't have to wonder.

So when Tifa addressed him again, Zexion replied automatically, not thinking about being polite or about making a good impression so to speak. "Is it," he asked. "How can you tell," he went on. "Are Axel and Tifa Italian names?"

He leaned forward a little towards her, quirking an eyebrow and folding his hands together on the table. "Can you really tell someone's ethnicity by their first name?"

It didn't occur to him that he might be being rude at all. Zexion was just responding to a question he thought was illogical. That was when the drinks arrived.

o - o

Axel held his indifferent expression only as long as the server remained. The moment she left, a smirk tugged the corners of his mouth upward. Served Tifa right for asking a dumb question anyway.

It hardly crossed his mind that Axel knew next to nothing about Zexion's own ethnic make-up. Just the mere fact that he'd lightly called Tifa out was enough for Axel for the time being.

"Not in our family," he interjected, his voice still bored-sounding but now smug. We're named after other people. Distant relatives. Loyal servants from decades past. Whatever."

By his side, Tifa nodded, before reaching for her long-stemmed wine glass, swirling the golden liquid a moment and sniffing appreciatively. "Indeed," she said, smiling more openly than her brother as she took a sip. "And I was merely curious. As a bartender, you don't seem like my brother's general type."

Now it was back to glaring on Axel's part.

"Watch it, Tifa," he replied, giving his warning in clipped Italian.

Tifa seemed nonplussed.

"English, brother," she chastised, taking another smug sip. "You've said our guest doesn't understand Italian. There goes my theory that he's somehow part of our overall extended _famiglia italiana_."

Straightening up slightly, she fixed Zexion with an intent gaze. "What I'm most curious about is how you two met. It seems you run in very different circles, doesn't it?" Her expression relaxed back into a congenial smile. "Unless, of course, you're one of those socialites who _likes_ to work for a living. Axel's tastes always did run high-end, if a bit eccentric."

o - o

Was Roxas more high-end, as she called them? Zexion had to wonder about the blond who apparently knew more about their boyfriend than he did as he watched the interaction between these two. He also had to wonder if the two were always this antagonistic to one another, or if this was all over his presence.

Then he looked at Axel, because he wasn't sure how to answer that question. Should Zexion tell this woman that they'd actually met at a college party over alcohol and the resulting intimate encounter that had followed, or was it better to say that they met at his bar. After all, that second meeting was their real first, in Zexion's opinion. He hadn't really been very aware of anything except Axel's wandering hands that first time.

"Well, I'm a bartender, so our meeting wasn't exactly preordained considering your brother's taste for alcohol," he responded, glancing sideways at Axel to make sure he was happy with this answer.

It was true, after all. The red head did seem to like to drink when he could, and Zexion had never had so much of the harmful substance into his body until the night he met Axel the real first time. Not for the first time a defeatist thought crossed his mind, though. Why me? Having been reminded of how much more money Axel had access to than he did made him think that maybe he was being used, again. The thought was squashed before he even allowed it to move forward, however.

Zexion had seen Axel in a moment the red head might have considered one of his worst, one that Zexion considered to be one of his finest, and the man had said three little earth-shattering words then. He knew that his boyfriend had meant them then, so it was illogical to doubt them now. It gave Zexion some of his confidence back.

"I might not be the usual, but that seems to be a good thing here." A dark blue eyed glance at Axel, and he went on. "Besides, I rather think my 'unique features,' as you called them, make me very much his type. Don't you agree? He is a collector of _unique_ weapons."

It was safe to assume that the man's own sister knew of his preferences in weapons if she knew of his taste in men, right? He hoped so. Zexion didn't like sounding ignorant in any way, but he didn't want to out his boyfriend with information his own sister didn't need to have, either.

o - o

As Tifa took in Zexion's words, her smile grew. Axel, for his part, simply downed his wine in one final swig, reaching across the table for the bottle that'd been left for a refill.

It was at this moment that the server brought their lunch. Both Tifa and Axel had ordered filleto crustato, a pastry encrusted beef tenderloin. Before the server turned to go, Axel reached out, laying a hand on the girl's arm. "A glass of pinot noir for me," he said, preferring red wine with this particular dish.

The girl nodded, looking up toward Tifa. "You, Miss?" But Tifa simply waved her away, eyes back on Zexion as the server departed.

"Fair enough," she replied, her tone still friendly. "You have a point. My brother does enjoy his rare expensive playthings."

It was Axel's turn to quirk an eyebrow. "_Playthings_? I'd hardly consider seventeenth century rapiers and rare Indian assassination weapons playthings. They're practically artifacts."

Tifa rolled her eyes but kept them on Zexion almost suggestively. "Playthings, brother. You don't handle artifacts the way you do those weapons. You'd keep them locked away, not touching. Simply appreciating them for what they are."

She cut into her filleto then, taking a dainty bite as she ignored Axel's mild leer.

"Zexion," she said again, still focusing her attention toward their guest. "I'm unsure how long you two have been…dating, would you call it?" She looked at Axel for confirmation and received it in a curt, affirmative nod. "Yet you haven't been up to our estate yet, to my knowledge. You should attend one of our social events," her green-brown eyes sparkled a little at the thought. "Our family might not be the most progressive, I suppose you could say…" In response, Axel snorted a little, eyes raised skyward as though in exasperation. "…but we have our ways around those sorts of things. You could always come at my invite. Axel could invite a friend too, to even things out, of course."

She smiled sweetly, her gaze flickering to Axel for a subtle moment. "I'm sure Axel would love to give you a tour of our home. Maybe the grounds. They're quite lovely and not actually put to much use during our social gatherings."

With a sly glance at her brother, Tifa turned back to her food, as seemingly unconcerned about Zexion's response as she had been about the server's inquiry earlier on.

Just like her to relax once she thought she had control of a conversation, Axel thought. Except this time, Axel had a feeling Zexion just might be able to give her a run for her money when it came to fast talking and creative replies.

o - o

He was momentarily fascinated by the plate that had been set down in front of him, as Axel's sister continued talking. The menu hadn't even had chicken on it, which probably would have been the cheapest thing he could think of on any menu, so Zexion had ordered a fish that he recognized, figuring it wouldn't be too expensive. The plate that sat before him was like something he'd seen on a Food Network show he used to watch, except the portions were much larger.

It smelled amazing though, and he was definitely hungry, so he picked up a fork, and cut into it. The plate was on the table in front of him now, so he doubted he could go back at this point. Before he could take a bite, however, the words being spoken to him finally sank in.

"Would it be wise to go flaunting our… relationship in front of your family," he asked her. "Are your grounds not monitored? Seems like some kind of risk you're suggesting your own brother take on my behalf."

The idea of going to Axel's home and being shown around was amazing, but Zexion had noticed things. If he couldn't even program his lover's phone number into his own phone, having to memorize it instead and burn the paper that hand had touched, then there was something bigger going on. It meant something dangerous for either himself or for Axel if someone found out the nature of their relationship, he was sure.

Of course, that didn't mean he wasn't tempted by the idea. Maybe Axel could invite Roxas and Tifa could invite Zexion, and in a perfect world they could all three have a nice evening to share with one another without anyone becoming the least bit suspicious about what the three of them might have going on. Then again, could Zexion go a night without looking at Axel the way he looked at him now? Could Roxas go a night without sharing a gaze that promised something later the way Zexion had seen those light blue eyes silently promise green ones? Someone would notice that, he was certain.

Placing the fork in his mouth without thinking, Zexion became momentarily distracted by his food, which was one of the most wonderful things he had ever eaten. He looked down at his plate at that, trying to remember the last time he'd had any kind of white fish that had a flavor like this one and failing. He took another bite almost immediately, savoring it more this time before swallowing with some regret. God, he'd never had food this good before. Then again, almost anything was better than ramen and mac n' cheese dinners, wasn't it?

o - o

Raising a hand to cover her mouth, Tifa yawned slightly, glancing over at Axel. "What do you think, brother," she asked, this time in Italian. "Would your sworn men give you up if they noticed anything compromising?"

Axel simply shrugged. "Unlikely," he returned in Italian drawl. "They haven't done so thus far.

"You're right though," he said, switching to English. "Our family probably wouldn't notice an extra presence. And I can think of a friend to invite myself who Papa might even be interested in meeting."

Roxas' family was well-known on the East Coast, their money and influence adequately impressive. At the very least, their father would be familiar with the surname. He might even be pleased Axel had gotten himself acquainted with someone who might prove a useful connection at some later point. They'd see. And then Roxas could be included and Axel could try to figure out this multiple relationship thing a bit more. Possibly.

His green eyes slid from Tifa to Zexion, watching with mild amusement as his boyfriend ate. "The fish is to your liking then, I take it," he asked, keeping his smile thin but apparent. For a moment, he went silent, taking another bite of his own filleto. It was cooked to his preference. Although this wasn't his top choice of establishments to dine at — feeling too uppity and full of old wealthy Manhattanites wanting a weekend escape for his taste — he couldn't deny the food was superb.

"There'll be dessert available too, if you like," he continued, Tifa nodding in unison with his own slight action. They may not be twins, but the sibling pair knew each other well enough to sometimes act as one…even when it came to their preferences in men, apparently.

o - o

Zexion paused, his fork halfway to his lips as Axel began to converse with his sister in Italian. He didn't know why exactly, but the way the red head's voice tilted, rising and falling in the cadence of the foreign language, made Zexion's insides somersault and his body heat up slightly. Well, that was new.

Of course, when Axel began speaking in English again, the mention of a friend completely distracted Zexion. Was he talking about Roxas? Why would Axel's family be interested in meeting Roxas? Was the blond more acceptable of a companion than he was to their red haired boyfriend? Did Roxas have better connections? What would make him more acceptable in this situation?

Then Axel distracted him again, pointing out the food that hovered about an inch from his mouth that up until then Zexion had been unable to stop eating. He felt his cheeks heat up slightly, realizing that his boyfriend had obviously noticed how he'd been consuming every bite with appreciation. It was the most amazing food he'd ever had. So he nodded to the question, but felt his eyes go slightly wide at the mention of dessert.

"I don't, I mean," he stumbled. Why did Axel always seem to have this effect on him? It was so frustrating sometimes! "If you're going to have some…" He didn't feel comfortable with other people spending money on him, but he was pretty sure that this place was out of his price range even if he were to simply find a nice drink on the menu and make a meal of that somehow. "I don't need anything extra."

o - o

"Oh, you simply have to," Tifa said smoothly. "The torte here is divine."

Axel nodded his agreement. "We can share if you want. It's pretty rich."

Zexion still looked unsure, he noted with a bit of curiosity. Going over the man's words again in his mind, Axel thought he knew what the hang-up might be.

"Don't worry about cost," he said flippantly. "Tifa invited, so it's on her today."

"And by 'on her', he means on the Damato family in general," Tifa cut in, rolling her eyes. Noting Zexion's somewhat blank look in response, she continued her explanation. "We have a tab here. We can get whatever we want. It's not an issue."

Again, a light knock on the door ushered in the server once more. She picked up the now empty plates with expert ease, in one hand, the china plates quietly clinking as they gently collided together.

"Any dessert, sirs and miss," she asked, this time including Zexion within the inquiry.

Again, Axel took charge, nodding definitively. "Two tortes, three coffees."

He hadn't checked to see if Zexion wanted coffee, but if not, it was easy enough for him to avoid it. The server nodded politely, quickly disappearing out the door.

She was back in an instant though, this time with their dessert and after lunch drinks. "The bill in your name, sir," she asked, voice still quiet, respectful.

Not looking at her, Axel simply nodded.

It seemed to be enough for the girl, however, as she was gone in a flash, leaving the trio alone once again.

At that moment, Axel stood, moving his chair closer to Zexion, along with the torte. Teasing expression on his face, Axel slid his fork into the chocolate cake, and directed it upward, toward Zexion's lips. "Try some," he said, voice low although not too sultry in his sister's presence.

Tifa merely chuckled a little from her end of the table. "You two are disgustingly cute, I hope you know that."

For his part, Axel ignored her, simply waiting with a small smile for Zexion to open his mouth without much concern.

"What do you think, Zexion," he said, voice still low and private, although not quiet enough for Tifa not to be able to overhear. "Will you accept our invitation? Come see my family's estate next weekend?"

Who knew? Zexion's presence might even add an element of fun to another otherwise dull occasion.

o - o

The heat in his face and neck was almost overwhelming as Axel voiced his exact concern aloud for the entire room to hear. Money was a sore subject for him even if they didn't understand it. He didn't need anyone to spend any more money on him, whether or not it was a family who had it to spare.

That was why he was going to school, after all, into the field he was studying. Not too many people could hack his area of academia, but Zexion had a mind unlike most ordinary people. At least, that was what his mother and his professors were constantly telling him. He could make enough money in this area to take care of himself and his mother, so that neither of them would have to worry about how they would scrounge together the month's rent or food ever again. To have it thrown around for him like this was somewhat… unsettling.

He forgot about his qualms, however, the moment Axel moved to sit closer beside him. Right in front of Tifa, his boyfriend held up a fork in an attempt to force the dessert on Zexion whether he liked it or not. If his face had felt hot before, it was nothing at all compared to how it felt now. Unable to say no to this man, the bartender leaned forward and wrapped his lips around the fork Axel held, meeting those green eyes as he cleaned the utensil of the torte with his mouth, before turning away to try to assess what he thought of this dessert for himself.

It was remarkably sweet, that was for sure. Zexion couldn't say that he'd ever had anything like it before, and again he savored the new experience and the new flavor hoping that one day he could do things like this for his mother. Well, not feeding her the dessert. That was something he would share with Axel, and maybe Roxas, only.

Before he could voice his opinion about the dessert, Axel asked him something he hadn't expected the red head to inquire about.

"Our invitation," he asked, surprise showing through. It had been Tifa's invitation until now, he'd thought. "Y-yes." Of course he would. He would do just about anything at all that Axel wished of him, which the red head had to know by now. Assuming it was in his power to give or do it.

Then he turned back to Tifa, expression clearing somewhat at the sight of someone who, while related to him, certainly did not have the same effect on him as Axel always seemed to. "Would I be arriving as your guest, then?"

o - o

"That sounds like the best course of action, yes," Tifa nodded. "I can always just say I met you at Hart's, after all."

With a bit of a grin, she turned her eyes on Axel. "That is assuming you can find another friend to invite yourself."

Sliding a piece of torte into his own mouth, Axel sat up a little, away from Zexion, chewed and swallowed before speaking again. "I'm almost certain I can." He took a sip of his coffee before continuing.

"Do you know the Wilcott family, by chance?"

Tifa tilted her head to one side. "Vaguely. The ones out of Manhattan?"

Axel nodded. "I'm acquainted with their oldest son. He attends St. Merritt," he said, inclining his head in his boyfriend's directly meaningfully. "Just like Zexion."

Tifa whistled quietly. "You're kidding. You do get around a lot without my knowledge."

"What? Are you keeping tabs on me now?" Axel smirked, the question a light-hearted joke more than anything. With one last sip of coffee, he was done, checking to make sure Zexion was too before he stood.

"But yes, at the very least I can extend an invitation to Roxas Wilcott. If he accepts, I'm sure it'll get back to his family, which will likely please Papa a great deal, if I know the man at all."

Politely, Axel extended a hand out to Zexion to help him up if he wished to take it. Stooping a little, he bent low, speaking directly into Zexion's ear for a brief moment. "Do you have anything going on now, or do you want to spend some time together?" This time, Axel's voice was more suggestive, even a bit sultry as he posed his question.

From the other side of the table, Tifa watched without comment. "If you're planning on disappearing, we'll probably want to leave separately, the way we came in," she said. "I wouldn't put it past the press to still be out there like the disgusting vultures they are."

Eyes lingering intently on Zexion, Axel merely nodded, but kept silent. What Zexion said would determine his plans for later this afternoon. For once, he didn't find himself minding letting someone else make a decision for him, depending, he supposed, on what was actually decided in the end.

o - o

Roxas came from money? That was… news to Zexion. But the blond acted so comfortable at school, never seemed to spend much of his money or go around flaunting that he had any at all. Even the car he drove, though newer, wasn't showy or flashy. It wasn't as old as Zexion's car, but few cars were. Why on earth did Axel want to keep a poor bartender around when he had Roxas?

He was still thinking about this when Axel leaned toward him, whispering into his ear. Blue eyes turned to regard Tifa as she added some information that made him pause. Press? He hadn't seen any press. Turning back to Axel and meeting those green eyes, he answered.

"I have work tonight, but I'm available 'til then."

It was hard to say that with a straight face, the way Axel was eying him, but he managed with only a little heat touching his cheeks. Then he paused, turning back to Tifa.

"When you say separately, you mean that you two leave and then I leave, correct?"

She nodded, smile still playing across her features as she headed around the table towards the exit. He could see the resemblance between her and her brother now, wondering how he had missed it that night at the bar. How had he been so ignorant before?

"It was nice to meet you, Zexion. We'll have to talk more this weekend."

"I look forward to it," he answered automatically, bowing his head slightly in respect as she opened the door to leave.


	16. A Date With the Damatos II

It was a simple plan, really. Axel and Tifa would call for their driver, while Zexion waited for five minutes before heading out the back.

It worked well too. As soon as they were out of eyesight, their car slowed, and Axel hopped out, breath misting in front of him as he pulled the hood of his coat over his spiked red hair. Then, it was simply a few minutes of waiting for Zexion to pull up so he could hop back in and be on his way.

"Turn left here," he said, directing Zexion away from the downtown area and his penthouse, toward a residential neighborhood midway up the hills. The houses here were nice, as well, though perhaps not as impressive as the ones further up where his family's estate was located.

"Nice car," he commented, a slight smirk on his face as he finally had the opportunity to take it in. Zexion's car was pretty old, probably a hand-me-down. Maybe bought in this condition cheaply. For someone who'd grown up with only the finest, it was a bit of a novelty for Axel to be riding around in something near to beater status.

When they finally stopped, Zexion's car was parked on the street a block from another Damato family property. This one was more modest from the outside, with a two car garage, and a mauve brick facade. As usual, they'd spared no expense with the interior, however. Cherrywood floors met them at the entrance, in a foyer that opened directly into a living room. The living room was framed by floor to ceiling windows, overlooking a forested ravine out back.

Axel hardly stopped to look, so used to the setting that he simply pulled Zexion along, toward the bedroom off to one side of the living room, and onto the bed. He was on top in an instant, his mouth insistent, tasting the bittersweet remnants of torte and coffee on Zexion's breath. Laps pressed together in a slow grind, Axel came up for air only long enough to whisper one lingering question at the bartender's ear.

"How was lunch, lover?"

o - o

"Don't mock it," Zexion replied to Axel's comment about his car. "It's older than you are, I'd wager. Show a little respect for your elders."

The bartender was pretty sure he'd never been quick enough on his feet to tease the red head about anything before now, and he felt a swell of pleasure at having come up with something like that quick enough instead of thinking of it the next morning when it was useless to him.

Of course, the house they pulled up to seemed normal from the outside; much less intimidating. As soon as the door was opened to him and he went inside, however, that thought disappeared entirely. _Nope, nothing around this man could be comfortable_, he thought. _Everything has to be so overdone_. But then, there were parts of that that could be wonderful to Zexion. Like the way that Axel hurried him into the bedroom, and pressed him down onto the bed before kissing him passionately. This was something that the bartender could get used to.

He moaned, the sound low and pulled up his throat by everything Axel was doing to him and how his body was being treated. The sound froze in his mouth, however, when the red head called him 'lover,' and he answered automatically.

"Best food I've ever had," he managed, a little out of breath. "No one's ever taken me out to lunch like that before."

Zexion didn't realize he'd admitted that much at first, wrapping his arms around Axel's neck and pulling him in for another kiss. He was addicted to those lips, and the feelings the taller man's hips were inflicting on his body. He felt his hips rising to meet Axel's as the other man continued the motions that were causing such wonderful friction between them. It made Zexion moan again, practically begging for more.

o - o

Axel loved Zexion's sounds, loved the way the soft fabric of his dress pants yielded, causing friction as he ground up against them.

At his words though, Axel slowed, taking them in, savoring them almost as much as he did the younger man's moans.

"Never?" he asked, lips lingering at the hollow of Zexion's throat as he slowed to a near stop. Leisurely, a hand crept down Zexion's front, from his chest, to stomach to hip bone and lower. As Axel dragged it back up again in a teasing manner, he timed his next words for the moment his hand cupped the steadily growing bulge in Zexion's pants.

"I'll just have to make sure we go on more of them then."

Gentle kneading ensued, as Axel continued his musing against Zexion's throat in between soft suckling kisses.

"Maybe alone next time, perhaps? My sister can be a bit much, as you probably noticed."

Axel nipped down playfully at Zexion's neck, sliding to one side of the bed to Zexion's right as he removed his hand and slowly began to unbutton the man's crisply ironed shirt. A few buttons in, he stopped, slipping an eager hand beneath the folds, finding a nipple and pinching before lightly beginning to massage around the nub.

This gradual pace wasn't Axel's style at all, but the recent experience with Roxas had affected in him some way even he couldn't explain to himself. This was supposed to be an equal relationship, correct? So fine, he'd let Zexion have a modicum of control once in awhile.

There were still things he wouldn't do, under any circumstances. But a mutual level of control during foreplay? Well. Who said old dogs couldn't learn new tricks once in a very long while?

o - o

Zexion was having a difficult time responding to anything Axel suggested while the man's skillful hands were rubbing against his crotch. It was taking all of his effort not to buck into that hand as it was. When Axel climbed off of him, sliding to one side of him to unbutton the nice shirt he'd worn out to lunch, the bartender tried to answer.

Of course, with Axel's teasing the only word he managed to get out before gasping was, "Alone?"

Then he was a bit of a moaning mess while the red head's hands were on his body, teasing and exploring. So it took Zexion a moment to realize that Axel had slowed down, and was leaning over him in a more exposed way, eying the bartender as though expecting something.

Trying to determine what it was his boyfriend wanted, Zexion leaned up on his elbows, adding pressure to the sensitive area on his chest that the red head was fondling. He groaned again, but found that the idea of actually getting to unbutton Axel's shirt was extremely tempting. So he sat up, both arms reaching over the one the red head had in his own shirt, and unbuttoning one at a time, letting his eyes feast on each new piece of exposed skin as he went. When most of it was undone, Zexion forgot all about not disturbing Axel's motions against his own skin, and let both of his hands run over the bare abdomen and chest that he could finally see.

Then, forgetting himself entirely, he pounced on Axel, knocking the man onto his back and kissing him roughly hands sliding over and grasping desperately onto the warm, muscular body beneath him. The grinding on the other man's hips was instinct and the moans a reaction, but Zexion wasn't trying to dominate, only to get more of the man he was so insanely addicted to. So the red head's tongue was still in control, in his mouth instead of the other way around, as the bartender's hands slid down to Axel's belt.

o - o

He hadn't expected the sudden action on Zexion's part. For a moment, Axel forgot himself, eyes widening as he felt himself pinned beneath the hot body of one of his lovers.

His first reaction was to balk, requiring him to actually come to his senses enough to allow the continued actions above him. In the end, it was Zexion's groping hands that dragged the first soft groans from Axel's throat, resolve about not letting someone else take control completely forgotten at that point.

"Yes, alone," he replied, breathing heavily. "You. Me. Lunch together."

The hands slid further, and Axel arched up into them, feeling slightly foolish at the displays of his increasing weakness. The moment they touched the belt of Axel's pants though, the red-head shifted, just enough to throw Zexion off-balance, allowing him to pull the man more fully on top of him.

"Would you like that," he groaned, thrusting his hips roughly up into Zexion's, "to eat with me alone?"

The next moment, Axel's hands were on Zexion's ass, squeezing, groping, and simply appreciating the firm tightness that tensed and relaxed under his grip in reaction to the different things he did. His lips returned to Zexion's neck with fervor, biting down, then sucking, tongue flicking out on occasion to taste.

And then he was rasping, completely uncharacteristic of the usually so put-together man. Rasping and moaning and even writhing a little beneath the bartender, for the first time in a long while allowing himself to completely lose himself in the actions.

"Zexion," Axel breathed, his voice husky and low with want. "Touch me. Do what you want…" He pulled the back of the man's tucked-in shirt out of Zexion's pants, fingers scratching harshly at the bartender's lower back.

"Do what you want but just _touch me_."

o - o

"Ah, yes," he called out, half-moaning and half-answering Axel's question. Lunch alone with his boyfriend sounded amazing. It was definitely something he'd never had with anyone else before. All of his other lunch 'dates' had had a third party tagging along. Not to mention, he paid for his own food during most of those occasions.

Then something else occurred to him, and he gasped out, "O-or with Ro-Roxas." They were all three dating now, so that would only be fair. The three of them on a date, but if Axel wanted to take Zexion out alone first, he was not going to argue one bit. That was what the bartender wanted more than anything.

Continuing to work at that belt buckle, then the button and zipper that were in the way, Zexion finally succeeded in freeing his boyfriend's confined erection. He wasn't thinking about anything else except where Axel's hands were after a moment, though. As soon as those hands were actually touching his skin, Zexion was crying out and pressing his hips against the red head's. Then, at Axel's command, one of his hands slid between their bodies, doing as his boyfriend asked, touching him. His whole body was overheating, and it made him want to be naked almost as much as he wanted the man in front of him to be laid bare.

"God, Axel," he cried out, trying to do as the man asked him and moaning at each new assault on his body and his senses as the red head's hands roamed.

Still following the command from before, his hand slid beneath the fabric of Axel's boxers, wrapping his fingers around the hot skin and squeezing as he began to pump experimentally. What else did he want? Zexion wanted Axel to moan, he wanted… he wanted to kiss him, so he did. Do what you want, his boyfriend had said. Maybe Zexion could use a slightly better imagination when it came to these things, but at the moment he wanted to kiss Axel and make him moan, and he could think of nothing else.

o - o

"Or R-roxas," Axel's voice hitched as he tried to agree. Zexion had found his cock a moment earlier, and the sound of Roxas' voice came out in a throaty, erotic moan, as though the other man was here right now doing the touching instead of Zexion himself.

As they kissed, as they moaned, Axel went to work on the remaining buttons of Zexion's shirt, regretting the momentary loss of contact with his cock as he pulled Zexion's hand away to help him take off his shirt. "Touch me again," he said, voice desperate and longing, and not at all customary for the red-head during sex. Perhaps it would be fine, since it was still an order. Deep down though, Axel knew he was entering unfamiliar territory, a place where he might not be the only one in control and holding all the cards for once.

He pushed the thought aside, practically tearing at Zexion's belt and the buttons and zipper underneath. The moment he had it undone, his hand slid beneath, copying Zexion's movements as he fondled the covered erection.

God, he wanted to be inside that hot body right now, pounding and pleasuring and releasing into hot depths. But it'd be over too soon, and Axel couldn't bear that thought at the moment. Instead, he continued to rub with one hand, sliding the other over Zexion's ass as he pulled the fabric of his pants down lower. Then it was just a teasing fingers rubbing against the seam of the bartender's ass through the thin fabric of his underwear, slowing ever so slightly over the spot where Axel knew his entrance would be, then moving away once more.

Green eyes were only half open themselves, as Axel savored the feeling of the smaller man on top of him, enjoying the weight and the pleasure and heat. His moans were low but steady now with every movement of Zexion's deliberate hands.

Not long now before he'd want to be inside. Not long before he'd hopefully hear the man scream. He could be patient though, just as long as Zexion didn't stop touching.

o - o

As soon as Axel spoke Zexion complied, amazed that he was not only being allowed some control but being encouraged to remain in charge for the time being. As soon as his boyfriend's fingers started playing around his entrance, however, the bartender wanted to release this new control; he wanted Axel on top of him.

Then again, maybe he could… well he'd heard of riding before, and he wondered if that was what his boyfriend was pushing him towards since the red head had seemed to want him on top for some reason. Did he want Zexion to ride him today? Could he actually do that?

It was very difficult to concentrate on that thought, or any other for that matter, while Axel's hands were teasing his body, one down the front and one teasing around the back. Zexion writhed on top of his boyfriend, moaning louder every time those fingers got closer, and then groaned as they slid away again. As he thought about it less, his vocal reactions became more pronounced, his brain slowly allowing the upcoming vacation by shutting off… somewhat.

"Aaaaxel," he groaned when those fingers slid away from his entrance again. His fingers tightened around the other man's erection, which he hadn't let go of since he was commanded to take hold of it, and the nails of his freehand dug into the skin around the red head's ribs as he tensed and twitched. "Please," he moaned, but he was too far gone to articulate what he wanted, just then.

If he hadn't known it would hurt, without having to think about it at all, Zexion would have just done it himself. Lifted his body and positioned the hot erection in his hand at his own entrance before pressing down onto it. His mind rejected that idea before it even fully formed, however. _No, there's been no preparation, yet_.

o - o

The way Zexion moaned his name unthinking, simply wanting…it was exquisite. Automatically, Axel reached up, pulling the bartender's face toward him. He kissed Zexion's mouth roughly, then moved to his shoulder, biting hard. The bartender jerked a little, but Axel held him down tightly, sucking hard at the spot he'd just bitten and thrusting into Zexion's hand.

He didn't want to move away, but the realization that it was necessary still remained ever insistent, however irritating at the moment. So he pushed the man over, onto his back on the bed beside him, as Axel shrugged out of his shirt, practically ripping off his own shoes and pants.

He was gentler with Zexion, sliding pants down to his ankles and kissing along the inner flesh of one leg. When they were finally undressed, Axel slid upward, although not all the way entirely, as he opened his mouth to Zexion's cock, and began to go to work.

There was already pre-come at Zexion's tip, but Axel forced back the urge to lap it up appreciatively. Instead, he used his tongue, spreading it slightly along with saliva. It was wet, sticky, meant to moisten more than to please, and what he couldn't adequately wet with his own mouth, he spread with his hand.

But then he froze just as suddenly, as the realization hit him full on. Without even realizing it, Axel was preparing Zexion to enter _him_ instead of the other way around.

Mentally he balked at the thought, a shudder of discomfort shooting up his spine the more he thought about it. What the fuck had he been thinking? More accurately, what had his subconscious been playing at when he'd stopped thinking entirely?

With a breathless gasp, Axel released Zexion, staring a bit in wonder at the saliva glistening off his cock with a mixture of arousal and internalized fear. Recovering quickly, he slid closer to Zexion, fingers wrapping around his erection as Axel began slowly to pump.

No, no, absolutely not. He was not going to let…

A moan from the man below made the thoughts stop entirely, as he took in the erotic expression on Zexion's face appreciatively. Slowly, Axel fluttered fingers from his free hand upward, tracing the hollow of his neck, then jawline, until they were right in front of Zexion's lips seeking entrance. He assumed Zexion would know the purpose of the request, that they'd soon be entering him and stretching to prepare. As he waited, he kissed, almost tenderly at Zexion's forehead, one hand still stroking the slick skin of his lover's erection.

Still, in the back of his mind, Axel wondered just how far gone he had to be to have even subconsciously entertained the thought of letting another man enter him.

o - o

Fingers finally touching his lips made Zexion moan. He knew what they were for and was eager to get them wet enough for Axel to use on him. It was hard to focus on anything that wasn't immediate with everything going on with his body. The red head had recently had his mouth…

The thought made the bartender moan again as he slicked Axel's fingers with his tongue and another stroke against him caused another moan and another and another. He was trying to hold everything back and in, but his boyfriend was driving him crazy too easily, too fast. Zexion was bucking into Axel's strokes, writhing beneath the weight of his lover, while at the same time treasuring, his chest warming at, the gentle kisses to his face. It was strange to think it, but it seemed Axel really did love him, if one could go by actions alone.

He wanted to tell Axel to enter him now, but he couldn't find his voice to speak. And anyways, he couldn't exactly imagine opening his mouth to say something like that not even during a moment like this one. So instead he moaned, mentally willing the man to enter him. Hurry up and take him already because, god, he wanted to feel his boyfriend inside of him now.

o - o

The frequency of Zexion's moans gave Axel a clue as to how far along his lover happened to be. With a smile, not even quite reaching its usual smirk, Axel slid down, green eyes watching Zexion's reaction as he stopped stroking momentarily, repositioning himself.

Sliding his two digits over Zexion's slit, he moved them away, a thread of pre-come following. Unconsciously, Axel licked his lips, already imagining how hot the stuff would look spurting out onto the man's pale stomach.

That image got him groaning slightly on its own, made him impatient for something harder. Without further warning, Axel thrust a finger deep into Zexion's entrance, all the way up to his hand. He withdrew, thrust again, noting that Zexion wasn't as tight as the first few times they'd been together.

Good, because he didn't want to wait much longer.

A second finger entered, still thrusting in rhythm with the first a few times. Then, Axel slowed, still sliding his fingers in and out but at a gentler pace, as he searched for the location he'd know when he found it.

One cry. One beautiful, high-pitched cry, and Axel knew he'd found it, and far more quickly than the last time. With a smug grin, he reached for a drawer under the bed, pulling out a bottle of lubricant and a condom, continuing to tease and massage the spot a moment longer. Standing upright, he let Zexion watch as he unrolled the condom onto his length, then slowly spread lubricant from head to hilt. The sensation made him groan as well, more impatient by the second to be inside.

Without a second thought, he spread Zexion's legs wider, positioned himself at the entrance, and bent to plant a light kiss at Zexion's abdomen.

There would be no ordering Zexion not to face him this time, no more taking the bartender on his hands and knees. Not today, at least. This time Axel wanted to see the man's reaction to everything he did. With intently observant eyes meeting Zexion's, both visible now as his hair was thrown haphazardly back, Axel began to enter, a smooth, practiced motion as he felt hot heat start to engulf him.

o - o

Axel hadn't even slid all the way in before Zexion became a moaning, writhing mess. He groped around the bed for a hand-hold, finding only inadequate things to grasp before finally reaching the red head's hips, his nails biting into the taller man's skin as Axel paused within him.

He felt his body tense, tighten, and release. Trying to force his body to relax, it took a moment for him to focus on something else. It didn't hurt nearly as much as it had when he was first getting used to being penetrated, but that stinging still caught him off-guard in the beginning. Before long, however, he was adjusted to it enough to really, really be trembling with need.

Urging the other man to move with his grip on Axel's hips, Zexion watched those green eyes with open admiration. _I love you_ was the last coherent thought he had as the red head started to move. The bartender knew that his lover wasn't a gentle man when it came to sex; after all, they'd begun their relationship rough. However, that didn't make it any less enjoyable, especially now that Axel had really begun to treat him like a lover.

All thoughts were wiped clean of his mind entirely when Axel brushed past that spot within him, and he cried out, white flashing across his eyes like a million bright stars exploding in front of them. Even though Zexion wasn't the most talkative lover, it was something he was extremely shy about, that got him to comment. Not that he was thinking carefully about his words, of course.

"Ah, Axel! Aah, yes, like that! Nnnngggh!"

o - o

It took every ounce of willpower to bite back a groan as Zexion reached for him, scraping nails against the sensitive flesh of his hips.

He started out slowly, with shallow thrusts, gentle withdrawals, but before long it was clear to Axel that Zexion could take more. The thrusts deepened, speed increasing. And when Zexion started talking, that's when Axel lost any resolve to remain quiet himself.

"You like that?" he asked, thrusting in deep as he scratched his own fingernails down Zexion's thighs. A moment, later, one hand wrapped around Zexion's cock, beginning to pump the man forcefully in time with his own internal thrusts. The other hand wandered, finally settling on Zexion's sac, fondling and squeezing with gentle fingers as he groaned once more. "Unnh, you're so tight," he moaned. "Squeeze me, just like that."

He could begin to see more droplets at the tip of Zexion's cock. Automatically, Axel's hand moved upward, his thumb spreading the sticky fluid in a languid motion around Zexion's cockhead.

"I want to see you come," he groaned, this time in Italian although he was more or less completely unaware of the language switch. As the sound of skin slapping against skin met his own ears, Axel moaned in Italian once again. "Mmmh, yeah. _Dio_, I'm going to fill you."

o - o

Zexion was easily not the most talkative person during sex, that was for sure, but when Axel talked to him answering seemed absolutely necessary. So a gasped, "Yes," seemed perfect on the appropriate queue, and a moaned, "Okay," worked well when he needed to supply an answer.

He'd never realized how hot one man's voice could be until it was Axel talking to him in the middle of acts like this one. The bartender moaned at every uttered phrase from the man's mouth, and then gasped when the movements inside of him began to brush against his prostate, forcing him to see stars.

"Ah, Axel," he shouted, feeling one little twitch, the precursor to finishing.

Zexion, however, did not want this to end yet. It was so different from the way they'd been together before. There was tenderness in Axel's touches, and a different tone in the red head's voice that made the bartender feel more adored than he had before. He wanted to keep that feeling for as long as possible. So he resisted as best he could.

Then Axel started talking to him in Italian, and blue eyes opened wider to meet green ones. Zexion had never before heard something so arousing in his life. Well, he'd never really paid attention before, to be honest. This got his attention. He didn't know how to answer, but a longer moan slid up his throat and his fingers dug deeper into the red head's hips upon hearing those words come out of his lover's mouth. He didn't even know what was being said, but still it was…. what? It was…. It was hot.

Then the brushing against his prostate became harder as a slight tilt of his hips caused Axel to hit it every single time he entered, and Zexion was screaming over and over again his body tensing so tight that he swore another thrust was going to break him.

When the release came, it was sudden and almost painful. He was calling Axel's name and moaning and gasping and shouting, his body releasing in spurts as Axel directed the hot liquid onto his prone body. Looking up through half-lidded eyes, he watched the red head stand over him, his lips slightly parted as he gasped for air.

o - o

_Dio_, that voice. Axel's body tightened at the sound of the emphatic screams. The moment his name was shouted, Axel too felt his balls tighten and he cried out, this time not holding back his own throaty moans as he released within Zexion's tight heat.

Zexion came a moment later, green eyes hazily watching hot fluid spurt once, twice, a third final time onto the bartender's stomach, before blue eyes met his, mouth still open and panting at the shock of the recent release.

Axel had fucked a decent number of men. None of those experiences came even close to seeing Zexion beneath him now, that exhausted but still erotic look on his face as he came down from the high they'd both been riding together.

Again without thinking, Axel remained inside Zexion, groaning as he leaned forward slightly to smear the sticky fluid across Zexion's stomach. He withdrew slowly, his own breath still labored as he bent over the blue-haired man, lapping at a bit of the fluid on Zexion's lower abdomen with relish. Bitter and salty and a slightly sweet undertone all combined to define Zexion now in Axel's mind.

A moment later, he was straightening, almost business-like, as he disappeared into a side room, returning a moment later with a warm hand towel, condom now gone from his body. He situated himself next to Zexion on the bed without a word, sliding the towel over sweat-slicked skin as he cleaned up the mess. Once done, Axel moved to Zexion's neck, nipping affectionately, appreciating the taste of salty sweat at his lover's throat.

"_Dio_," he breathed again, his voice a soft breathless whisper into his lover's left ear. "I can't tell you how much I love hearing you scream near the end."

o - o

Zexion's skin felt hot, and as Axel leaned forward, still inside him, blue eyes widened at the sight and the feeling of his lover. He didn't really know why watching the red head taste him was so arousing, but it hit him, his body weakly trying to revive something that could not quite return.

Then Axel was pulling slowly out of him and walking away. The bartender's chest was still heaving, and he concentrated on slowing his breathing in the time it took his boyfriend to return. He sighed at the touch of the warm cloth against his middle, letting his eyes slip shut for just a moment and appreciating the feeling. Zexion didn't reopened his eyes until he felt teeth against his neck, but he found himself turning automatically seeking Axel's lips.

His missed by quite a bit at first, and then forgot what he was trying to do when the red head spoke. His face and neck flushing scarlet, Zexion turned his eyes away from Axel's in slight embarrassment but he couldn't help a small smile still attempted to lift the corners of his mouth. Just knowing that he affected this man, even a little, was comforting. After all, Axel affected him very badly.

Unable to think of anything to say to his boyfriend's declaration, Zexion asked a question instead. "What were you saying? …you know, towards the-uh… end. I don't speak Italian." His voice was light, unassuming, and curious. The hint of embarrassment and slight arousal at the memory was written all over Zexion's face, however. He had a very poor poker face.

o - o

Seeing the movement, feeling the lips on his skin, Axel responded in turn, finding Zexion's mouth easily, bringing them close enough to press against his own.

"Mm?" The noise was a sensual purr against Zexion's lips for a moment, as Axel's eyes opened, taking in blue hair. "I hadn't realized I'd said anything in Italian," he murmured, trying to recall what had been said.

"Something about wanting you to come, if I recall," he said the words slowly, letting them linger to their full effect. "And wanting to fill you whole."

A hand roamed down Zexion's chest, lazily appreciating its fine dips and curves. It came to a rest at Zexion's abdomen, still hot from the towel he'd just used.

Again, his lips returned to Zexion's neck, working over it expertly as another thought began to emerge.

"Do you think," he asked, mouth still pressed against the tender flesh of his partner's throat, "we fucked up, since Roxas isn't here?"

The question wasn't necessarily meant to be serious, which was why his tone remained light. Still, Axel wondered if they'd made a mistake. This threesome business was a lot more complicated than he'd initially imagined.

o - o

He could probably die happy just from that kiss alone. Axel's lips felt soft against Zexion's own lips, and the answer to his question did not help the whole arousal problem at all. In fact, he felt his heartbeat spread insistently across his skin, causing everything the red head touched to respond with a pleasant sensitivity that could have easily started to drive him crazy again if his boyfriend hadn't distracted him.

"Roxas?" he asked, not having thought of that.

Then Zexion really began to think about it, because this was a problem he wanted to make sure that he solved. They were in this polyamorous relationship. That meant that the three of them were supposed to be equals in everything, including, somehow, in love.

At least, those were Roxas's words, and Zexion had agreed with them at the time because it had seemed like a pretty good compromise. It had seemed to the bartender that Axel would go with whatever the blond wanted, and it was the biggest stroke of luck in the world that they both somehow wanted to keep him in the scenario. That didn't mean he hadn't been dreading the idea of the three of them together, or dying a little inside of illogical feelings of jealousy and hopelessness that he would end up being left behind.

Then he remembered the morning all three of them had been together. Axel had confessed to loving him. The memory of it sent a warm wave of fluttering throughout his body. Roxas and Axel had also seemed to have done some much needed talking, which Zexion had initiated, and he felt good about that. The two had done a few other things that he could hear from the living room, however, that had made that little twinge of jealousy swell again. At least until he decided to hurry to the bathroom that shared a wall with the two and take care of a growing problem of his own as quietly as he was capable of.

"I don't think so," he finally answered, having thought the problem through from various angles. "You and Roxas were together alone this morning. Now you and I are alone. It seems reasonable that things stand evenly now, unless of course," he added and then paused. "Unless Roxas would now like to be alone with me because then everything would be exactly even."

He thought about it, fingers tangling in Axel's hair as he subconsciously tried to keep the red head's lips on his skin just a little longer. "Then again," he concluded, "since Roxas and I were in some way together this morning while you watched, we might all be equal in this aspect already. That seems the most likely, I believe."

o - o

Zexion and Roxas.

Before today, Axel might have thought the idea was hot. Maybe he still did. But right now, it simply caused a jealous heat to infiltrate his chest.

But then…together in front of him? Maybe. He couldn't be sure what he thought of that, mostly because he'd been so angry this morning he hadn't been able to contain himself enough to register what they were really doing to one another.

"Most likely," he echoed, voice still unsure.

The truth was, Axel didn't have a clue how this was going to work. He'd had a threesome before, but it hadn't been within a relationship. In fact, this was probably the first relationship he'd ever been in at all, if he was really being honest with himself. He took women out to social events for appearances, but he'd never fucked any of them. Well, one, but it was mostly just to make sure, and no, it hadn't been all that pleasant.

Reno'd been there when those girls had gone down on them both too, and that had been alright, if only due to the dim lighting. That hadn't been a relationship either though. Not even close.

So, at 24, Axel was just now experiencing his first relationship. And it happened to be with two men. And he didn't have a fucking clue how that was supposed to work.

Right now he didn't care though. Pulling Zexion closer, he just held him for a moment. Later while Zexion was at work, he might search out Roxas, ask more questions, offer his invitation to next weekend's event. Or maybe he'd take a break, go back to his penthouse and simply relax for an evening. For now though, it was just about feeling the bartender in his arms, and knowing that, for once, this was exactly how things were supposed to be.


	17. The Element Of Being Out Of Your Element

**A/N**: This was the last chapter my ex-writing partner and I wrote way back in 2011/2012 (and, er, the last section is partially something I whipped up today because I didn't like how abruptly it otherwise would've ended...first time writing for this story in three years, ftw?).

I'm still considering continuing on with the story, but I'm unsure if it'll be a back-and-forth type of thing between character POVs like it's been thus far or something else. I don't know when I'll get to it either. I'm currently more focused on a fic on my personal FFN account. I have a handful of stories up there so if anyone's interested in reading something else in the interim, feel free to hit me up there (username: nicayal). All of the stories there are complete with the exception of one I'm actively working on at the moment (Time Will Tell, which is mostly AkuRoku but also features Zemyx, Cleon, and a few other pairings).

Thanks for the reviews. Like I said, I'm still mulling over how to approach the rest of this story, so it'll probably be a back-up for if I end up with a block while writing Time Will Tell. But I will do my best to continue on with this. I think it's got potential. I just need to figure out how to handle writing two characters (Roxas and Zexion) that I didn't initially create for this plot, which gets a little tricky, you know? Yeah. We'll just have to see how that goes.

* * *

Zexion was very uncomfortable. If anyone were to ask him just then what it was like to have a buxom, brunette hanging off of his arm and leaning in to laugh at things he said occasionally as though she was actually interested in bedding him later, he might have turned and run for it. Tifa certainly seemed like she was having a good time though, and what on earth was so funny? He was not trying to be funny.

Practically chugging his first two glasses of wine, the blue-haired bartender did his best not to appear as though he was being led around the room like a champion show-dog or something very similar, but it was difficult to do that while Axel's sister, who was quite a bit stronger than she looked, was so adamant that he meet this person and look at this and try that. If he had forgotten why he had given up on women, this was certainly reminding him very forcefully at the moment.

How many glasses of wine had he finished now? It didn't matter because now Tifa was stearing him forcefully towards the door, and Zexion was seriously hoping that she was going to take him outside. From there he could make a run for it; seriously. Parties were not his forte.

Of course, as they neared the door he noticed Axel walking in, Roxas at his side, and both men looking like an ad for some fashion magazine in their suits with their perfect physiques and gorgeous faces. Zexion shook the hair that Tifa had insisted he keep behind one ear back over one side of his face out of habit, hiding himself, but the woman at his side seemed to have the peripheral vision of a hawk because she moved closer to him, pushed the loose hair back behind his ear, all the while chastising him.

"Uh uh uh," she said. "What did I say about hiding that gorgeous face of yours?"

If Zexion had not been drinking, he probably would have snapped at her with something clever, but he had been drinking and he was out of his element and the party was full of people wearing suits that probably cost more than his car. So he just scowled at her, and chewed on his tongue waiting for someone to get him out of this mess. Why did Roxas and Axel have to be **just** arriving?

o - o

Roxas was perhaps more comfortable at this social event than even Axel, the red-head had to concede. With high-society parents back in Manhattan, it wouldn't have surprised him to hear that Roxas was an old hat by now at surviving these things.

Of course, Axel's family likely had different motives for holding such events than Roxas'. Everything here was a cover for something else. Axel doubted the same could be said for the Wilcott family.

Still, despite what Roxas must have known the occasion to actually be, the blond had accepted his invitation, and had sounded particularly interested to discover Zexion too would be in attendance — and perhaps a little amused that he'd be coming as Tifa's date.

Axel personally couldn't wait for the fucking night to be over. That feeling only heightened when he got a glimpse of Roxas' firm ass beneath perfectly tailored dress pants. Axel supposed he didn't look too shabby either, with his normally spiked hair pulled back neatly with an inconspicuous tie. It wouldn't do to look like a downright felon at this particular event. He could leave that to time spent away with Tonio, Reno and others.

Speaking of Tonio, Axel felt a smug sense of satisfaction not to see the man's name on the guest list. Events like these were what truly separated him from the low-lifes his father employed for their shadier dealings. It didn't mean anything at all in relation to having to work with the motherfucker later. But at least he wasn't here now, that shit-eating grin playing over his face whenever Axel was within viewing distance.

It was Tifa who found the pair first, dragging Zexion along with her on one arm. The bartender looked anything but thrilled at the moment to be attached to Axel's sister at the hip, and the red-head knowingly bit back a bit of a smile in response.

He also had to force back the heat that was assaulting his chest. With his hair pulled back behind an ear like that, face in full view of Axel's discerning eyes, Zexion looked _good_. That was all there was to say about it. Again, Axel cursed the limitations of being a Damato when it came to his sex life. Tifa had more fucking freedom than he did in that regard, and given how protective their father was of his only daughter, that was definitely saying something.

Seemingly unconcerned by the bartender's muted distress, Tifa's expression lit up at the sight of her brother and his guest. "Axel," she said, voice warm and welcoming. "You didn't tell me your guest would be so…eligible."

Axel bit his tongue. His sister loved playing things up, and tonight was no different. If he knew Roxas at all, the blond wouldn't mind one bit. A certain red-head did though.

"Tifa, this is Roxas Wilcott," Axel said instead, keeping his voice steady but not deigning to add on any additional inflection. He would introduce Roxas to Tifa. Fine. But if Tifa started pulling bullshit like introductions beyond a simple exchange for Roxas' benefit…well, let's just say this evening was going to be long enough as it was, without the need for any additional annoyances from his own damn sister and leave it at that.

o - o

Roxas had to admit, he was having a bit of fun already. It was kind of interesting to see an Axel who was a little bit out of his element or perhaps the red head was just uncomfortable or impatient and he was misunderstanding. It did not matter because either way it was amusing.

He had dressed the part, looking sharp but sexy at the same time, and had spent quite a bit of time flirting with Axel whenever they had had a private moment that he did not think was being videotaped.

Of course, Roxas also figured that his boyfriend would let him know if he made a move on the taller man in a place that would get them into trouble. After all, having agonized for a while about his decision to make an appearance at this particular event, the shorter blond had decided that he could have fun even while being careful.

So when Axel introduced him, Roxas put on his most charming smile, leaning towards Tifa and extending his hand. "Tifa," he verified. "A lovely name for a lovely woman."

He gave her a winning grin, letting his eyes drift towards Zexion naturally, as though just noticing him before adding, "And who's this?"

Roxas let his eyes travel over Zexion's body from head to toe before turning back to Tifa. "If he's any indication, Tifa, you and I might have similar taste in men. I hope it doesn't start a fight between us."

He gave her a playful wink and let his hand rest flirtatiously on her shoulder for a moment, letting his eyes return to the blue-haired bartender whose face was getting redder by the second.

It was actually mildly disappointing that his studious boyfriend did not have a retort for that, considering what Roxas knew about him now. He had quite liked the intellectual debates Zexion had begun with him, not entirely because they were fun (because really no one enjoyed being trampled to the floor by logic he couldn't quite wrap his mind around with alcohol in him… particularly when the bartender had had just as many shots as Roxas had), but because his newest boyfriend was entirely too hot when he was showing off his incredible mind.

Depending on the way things went tonight, Roxas intended on flirting with Zexion the way he would have had he really just met the man at a party of this sort. He wondered if the sexy, blue-haired man would have gone home with him the way he seemed to have done with Axel that first night.

The blond really wanted to explore both men he was in a relationship with though, and this could be a good way to get to know Zexion even better. That was, if Axel didn't put a damper in things by overreacting the way he had a tendency to do…

They would find out soon enough.

o - o

As expected, Roxas had managed to charm his sister in under a minute flat. Not that it took much to make Tifa happy. A compliment here, a flirtatious gesture there, and she was often sold. It also didn't hurt that Roxas willingly outed himself about two sentences in.

Eyes sparkling, lips curving up as realization crossed her face, Tifa shot Axel a quick glance. "Oh, I'm not much of a fighter, personally," she replied, pulling Zexion a little closer, possibly just to see him squirm, Axel figured.

"That doesn't necessarily mean you wouldn't have to fight over him with someone though," she finished with a wicked grin.

Inwardly, Axel sighed. If Roxas wasn't already fully aware of how he knew Zexion, he'd likely be contemplating his own sister's death at this point. Tifa knew she had to be careful, especially when there were other members of their family around. The only reason she was pulling this shit now was because Roxas had willingly identified his gender preference for her and she liked to get under her brother's skin about that in particular whenever possible.

For once though, he wasn't entirely bothered, if only because he had one up on her this time around.

"_Anyway_," he said, expression exasperated, "I should probably introduce Roxas to our father. He'd probably be interested in finally getting to meet one of the Wilcotts, given their mutual business interests. We'll be back in a bit."

Or some other bullshit. Whatever.

"It was nice to meet you," Axel threw over one shoulder at Tifa's date for the evening. Hopefully Zexion would take it as a promise that they'd return soon, although he couldn't actually say that where they were now.

The meeting with his father went without a hitch. Roxas was polite and charming, his father was interested in getting in touch with the head of the Wilcott household as anticipated, and he and Roxas were free to chat alone a bit as soon as well.

And it was nice enough, given this was technically their first date together, even if it had to be covert.

Too bad it was as short-lived as it turned out to be.

A light slap on his back directed Axel's attention to Reno who'd appeared by his side without much flourish. Dressed all in black with a thin red tie complimenting his tied back hair, Reno looked sharp as always. Too bad he wasn't busy looking sharp somewhere else.

"Fuckin' event," his cousin drawled in Italian, apparently taking no initial note of Roxas or the conversation he'd just inserted himself into. "You know it's gonna be a drag when the hottest female is related to you, _guisto_?"

o - o

Roxas wanted those dark blue eyes to follow him more rather than glancing so often in Axel's direction, but he had kind of interrupted their budding relationship, after all. It was only natural and normal that the one Zexion had actually fallen for, Axel, would get more of the bartender's attention. Of course, the bit of jealousy he felt was normal, but the affection he already felt for both of his boyfriends was… more than he expected to feel in this situation so soon after beginning it.

He had had a clever response for Tifa, who apparently knew Zexion was in a relationship but not that it was at least partially with Roxas, but then Axel had interrupted them both, stalling any attempt at responding. That was fine, though. Roxas would get his payback later with some flirting for his red haired boyfriend to watch, and hopefully get a little excited over. Zexion looked like he needed a bit of a pick-me-up, anyways.

Meeting Axel's father was… an interesting surprise, and not at all the way Roxas had once hoped of being introduced to the man. Then again, the way his boyfriend had explained it on the way over, the man did not even know, could never know, that his own son was gay. It almost broke the blond's heart to think about that. No wonder Axel acted the way he did. Not that it excused anything, but it did give him a bit of insight into the man he had just renewed a relationship with.

Roxas was enjoying himself, appearing to socialize with Axel while he was actually flirting with him in a subtle verbal way that few people would be able to catch, he hoped, even if they did overhear parts of it. That was, of course, until the interruption that came next was one that the blond was pretty damn sure he did not want to tolerate. First, this guy looked rather suspiciously like the guy his brother had described (assuming that guy was not, as his boyfriend had claimed, Axel), and, second, the dick acted as though he had not been interrupting anything. It was as if Roxas wasn't even there.

Usually he was cool, calm, collected, and charming even in his most uncomfortable moments. However, the thought of his carefree little brother in that hospital bed and later on in the rehab facility made Roxas livid. Without thinking, he found himself clenching and unclenching his freehand, and chewing on the sides of his mouth to keep himself from saying something that would make any of Axel's relatives think less of him. After all, he wanted to make a good impression on his boyfriend's family, but he also wanted to find the asshole that had gotten his brother addicted to a dangerous drug and rip him limb-from-limb.

o - o

"You should go tell her that then," Axel replied, the Italian rolling off his tongue smoothly. "You know how much Tifa enjoys compliments."

By now Axel was well accustomed to Reno's interruptions and tactless comments. He'd grown up hearing them, after all.

Reno just scoffed, before switching to English. "Fuck this night, yo. Got better things to do, man. You know."

Axel did know, but he wasn't feeling particularly inclined to discuss such matters in front of Roxas — or anyone outside of his family, actually.

Clearing his throat purposefully, Axel side-stepped Reno, giving his cousin a better view of the evidence that he was already engaged for the moment and didn't need any further interruptions.

To his surprise, Reno's face lit up, a mixture of recognition and curiosity as his gaze moved over Roxas.

"…Ven?"

For someone as cocky and self-assured as Reno, the hesitant tone in his cousin's voice was a definite surprise to Axel.

Questioningly, he turned back to Roxas, slow to connect that name to the blond by his side.

It came to him a moment later, eyes widening minutely before he suppressed the look.

Oh, _shit_.

Quickly, Axel shook his head. "Roxas Wilcott, actually," he cut in as smoothly as possible as he turned his back slightly toward Roxas and shot Reno a warning look. For his part, Reno simply pursed his lips but kept quiet, leaving introductions to Axel solely.

Fuck this night indeed.

Sighing a little to himself, Axel turned back. "Roxas, this is my cousin, Reno."

_As if you couldn't tell just by looks alone…_

o - o

Roxas could not help that his eyebrows shot up at the mention of his brother, nor could he help the way that he glared at the other man as Axel introduced him. He had to take a deep breath… then one more before he could be sure the words that came out of his mouth were not shouted, but that did not mean that he needed to speak without growling slightly or clenching his teeth.

"Charmed, I'm sure," he replied, giving this Reno a hard look that would certainly have killed Axel's cousin if expressions were capable of such things. Turning to Axel, Roxas added, "Can we go?"

He was pretty damn sure that if his boyfriend did not remove him from the immediate vicinity, Roxas was going to see what it looked like to rip a lot of red hair out of a living head, or what an asshole's eyeballs looked like on such a nice, clean parlor floor.

Roxas's breathing had become labored, and his chest heaved as he met the new set of green eyes, trying to keep himself from hauling off and punching that cocky asshole in the jaw. If Axel did not get him out of there soon… he was pretty damn sure he was going to do something very, very stupid.

o - o

Reno quirked an eyebrow, still not really catching on to what was taking place right in front of him.

"Interesting…" The word was spoke low, almost questioning.

Well. That was one way of putting it, Axel thought.

At Roxas' question, Axel nodded wordlessly, turning to lead the blond away from Reno, but not before throwing a quick "_ciao_" back at his currently oblivious cousin. He could tell Reno what was up later. Maybe. Axel still wasn't convinced Reno would do much more than bemoan the fact that he'd lost a steady customer who hadn't had issues paying for the drugs he'd provided.

That's all Axel really should've cared about too. It was the point, in fact, to get kids like Roxas' brother hooked on the stuff that would generate supplemental revenue for his family. The trick was to get them to keep coming back for more without giving them so much they outright fucking overdosed. Reno knew what he was doing in that regard. Most people simply didn't have a family that gave two shits about a drug-addled relative.

But the Wilcotts would've wanted to keep something as high profile as an addicted kid private, especially if Roxas' brother wasn't eighteen yet. It made sense they'd slapped him in rehab as quickly as possible.

The thought never occurred to Axel that Roxas' family might have done it because they actually cared about Ventus. He hadn't grown up in an empathetic environment so the notion was foreign to him in its entirety.

Subtly directing Roxas away, Axel's path was unconsciously veering back toward Tifa and Zexion. Before they met up again though, Axel turned, expression polite but neutral. Anyone who happened to look their way would simply assume they were engaging in a bit of light-hearted smalltalk.

"You alright, Rox?"

o - o

Roxas took a deep breath as they walked away, letting Axel lead him and trying to calm himself down as they went. Part of him was a little afraid that he had messed up, considering how early into his renewed relationship with the tall red head he still was, but another part of him still wanted to turn back and kill his boyfriend's stupid asshole of a cousin, which was the part that required all of his attention just then. If he stopped working his temper down, Roxas might just turn around and find a fork to stab Reno through the eye with.

He was so preoccupied with his attempts at self-control that he almost missed Axel's question, but when it replayed in his mind a moment later Roxas found himself stopping midstride to look up at his boyfriend. The red head had not needed to ask that, and he was pretty sure that a prior version of this tall man might not have even considered a question that had something to do with anything other than himself.

Making his feet move again so that nothing would seem out of the ordinary, Roxas looked down at the floor as he walked for a second, considering.

"I'm… I'd like to go," he finally said. "Can we go?"

He did not know what kind of social obligations Axel had here, but at least for Roxas's part, his were complete. Then again, it occurred to him now that he was cooling down and they could see Zexion and Tifa ahead that he had not fulfilled all of his duties at this event. Hadn't he promised Axel some teasing of some kind? Shit.

"Or… nevermind," Roxas added quickly, "maybe just a dance or a drink or two. Were we supposed to stay for dinner or is it just a meet-and-greet?"

o - o

Axel shook his head. "My father just wanted to meet you. Everything else is optional."

As they walked, Axel noted the ever increasing proximity to Zexion and Tifa. Quite suddenly, an idea crossed through his mind. He probably couldn't leave just yet, but they could get out of the house at the very least.

Out of the corner of his eye, Axel could still see Reno watching them, probably still trying to place Roxas over the image he already had of the younger Wilcott brother. Axel made a note to keep his hands very pointedly by his sides as a result.

By the time they reached his sister and Zexion, both had identical expressions of boredom written plainly across their faces. Zexion's also seemed a little pained.

"No one here's worth talking to this time around," Tifa said, her voice light and airy, probably to avoid having anyone nearby pick up on her annoyance. By her side, Zexion said nothing but it seemed to Axel that he agreed with the sentiment.

Axel shrugged a little. "Roxas asked to see the grounds," he replied smoothly. "I seem to remember talk of showing Zexion them too earlier this week."

Tifa nodded, shooting her brother an almost sympathetic look. "Yes, they're very secluded. Nice for getting away from the noise."

Or finding some time to feel his boyfriend up, Axel finished the thought for her. Except she'd feel sorry for him since Roxas was around and visibly showing interest in Zexion too.

This knowing something his sister didn't thing was actually starting to grow on Axel, he decided.

Instead of rubbing it in or giving himself away, Axel simply nodded. "Come on then," he said, addressing the two men in turn. "I'll show you."

Time for some well-needed fresh air.

o - o

Roxas looked distracted when he and Axel finally returned, and Zexion was not too unobservant to notice the state his newest boyfriend was currently in. The problem was that he could not say anything in front of Tifa that would indicate that he knew what the blond was like outside of the current situation, since apparently they had not met before a few moments ago. He didn't know why he was being made to act at all, particularly because pretending was not one of the bartender's strong points.

He found his eyes trailing red hair then blond as the four made their way outside, the brisk night air hitting him in the face as soon as they left the safety of the indoors. Zexion was starting to think that this contradiction, an allowance for him to not only be head-over-heels for Axel but also to be developing a serious crush on Roxas, was beginning to suit him, even if just a little bit.

Zexion liked how Roxas's authoritative side would come out against Axel when the three were together, but thought it was incredibly alluring how he would offer up no resistance to the red head's dominance at all on other occasions. There was something about watching the blond who seemed to have so much power over their shared partner melt in Axel's hands, succumbing. Zexion couldn't help it, he wanted more of that.

Tonight, however, he realized that he had not really given Roxas and himself much thought. Not that he didn't feel attracted to the blond, but it was one thing to eye someone, considering, and another entirely to feel smooth hands brush against him in a way that made it hard to tell if the action had been purposeful or accidental. Then Roxas was leaning in, whispering something about wanting to get Zexion all hot-and-bothered, and making him come so hard tonight that, for once, the bartender would be screaming the blond's name instead of Axel's.

He swallowed hard, glancing first at Axel then at Tifa. She wouldn't have heard that, but she probably would have seen the blush creeping up his neck. What did anyone say to something like that, anyways?

o - o

Roxas was a study in contrasts to Axel. Only minutes before, the blond had been irate, then obviously upset in the aftermath of Reno's appearance. That was understandable to Axel. If someone had done what Reno had been involved in and it had been _his_ sister who'd been hurt in the process, there would've been hell to pay as far as Axel was concerned as well.

For once, he made the connection between that hypothetical fury and what Roxas must have felt when everything had fallen apart for his younger brother.

Normally, Axel didn't care to think about the aftermath of his family's underground drug pushing. If you were moronic enough to get hooked on the shit, he had no sympathy for the resulting downfall. He honestly really didn't even care about Ventus. It was Roxas who mattered. And Zexion. And, yeah, even Tifa as much as she tended to piss him off. Maybe Reno, but that was a big fat maybe that depended entirely on his current mood.

So, in his own way, Axel was sympathetic and understanding of Roxas' reaction to being mistaken for his brother when Reno had shown up.

What he didn't get was what Roxas was playing at now that they were outside.

He'd pulled away from Axel's side, moved closer to Zexion, whispering god-knew-what in the bartender's ear with smooth lips, a knowing expression. That Zexion's face began to lightly flush only served as confirmation for what Axel had already assumed was being discussed.

It fucking pissed him off, this bullshit jealousy.

Behind him, Tifa daintily lowered herself onto a stone garden bench, right leg crossing over the left with practiced grace. "Better watch that one, brother," she said to Axel, her voice a teasing whisper at his back. "He seems to have taken a liking to your…special friend."

In front of her, Axel straightened a little, the muscles of his lower back tensing in irritation.

"Not that I don't find him absolutely delicious too," she continued, completely unaware of Axel's discomfort. "It just seems that you have more to worry about from one of us than the other."

He'd stopped listening to Tifa halfway through her light-hearted comments, eyes trained on the pair of men not far off, chest burning with an almost unidentifiable anger.

At what? They were all three supposed to be dating. That's what he'd been told. This was part of it he figured, Roxas flirting with Zexion. Yet Axel couldn't help but feel as though it was something more than that when it came to Roxas. Something closer to some pent-up need for revenge. If he couldn't punish Reno, maybe Axel was his next most convenient target. Ultimately, that led back to the conclusion that this was all just a game, that eventually Roxas would leave again, maybe this time taking Zexion with him. Away from Axel.

Despite his best attempts at neutrality on the topic, the thoughts kept coming, kept taunting. Axel did the only thing he knew how to do outside of exploding: disengage.

"Excuse me," he said, voice curt as he walked away from Tifa, brushing past Roxas and Zexion as he went. He wasn't sure where he was going, wasn't unaware that the gardens only went so far.

He turned right, then left, heading steadily away from his house and the trio he'd so recently been accompanying. Out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw a flash of red, could almost hear the adolescent laughter of someone long dead. Someone he once used to play hide and seek with on these very same grounds, back when he was still a kid himself. Back when he believed he and everyone he loved was invincible. Embarrassingly naive. Too trusting. The sensation was so immediate, so visceral, it made his breath catch in his throat, twisting, cutting agonizingly right at his heart. At any other time, he might have found it amusing how similar it felt to what he had now with both Roxas and Zexion.

Maybe even ironic.

Without a doubt, Axel knew there was no getting away from love once it gripped you. Like its cousin grief, it knew how to wind its phantom limbs indelibly into that one basic element, a heart that was willing to remain trapped when the mind obviously knew better. And like cancer, it might remit for a time, until its host was entirely unaware of its presence anymore at all.

But it'd come back, just like grief, like multiplying cells of himself when he least expected it, and most needed it not to.

Soon enough, his family's greenhouse came into view. He didn't stop until he'd entered it, until he'd shut out the view of his family's grounds. He only wished it were as simple to forget a lingering memory.

Deep down, Axel knew he couldn't escape this, or the feelings with which it came associated. But, if only for the short time being, he could try to temporarily give a wide berth to what he knew would ultimately end up being, in the end, completely and utterly unavoidable.


End file.
